The Way It Should Have Been
by KaylaBeckett93
Summary: *AU* The way life should have been for Kate Beckett and everyone in her life.  One Shot for now, but enough reviews/alerts might make that change.   Bad summary, but read first chapter for more  : Rating for safety.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my take on what would have happened if Johanna Beckett wasn't murdered when Kate was a teenager. What should have happened if her parents were as in love as we're led to believe. What is going to happen (hint hint Castle producers!) when Kate and Rick get their shot at a future together without constraints and burdens from their past. **

**P.S. Alexis lovers; don't worry, she's still around, but her deep-fried Twinkie of a mother is not and never was (:**

**Also, I don't own Castle, this is completely AU and my other story **_**The Little Things**_** is being written simultaneously (let's see how that works…..)**

**X X X X X**

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, the evidence presented here blatantly shows that my client is _not_ responsible for the events of that evening," Kate Beckett addressed the court room, "though he was in fact present, he was neither the instigator nor conspirator in the murder of Linda Metcalfe, merely a citizen of New York City performing his occupational requirements."

Her client, Marcus Freidman, was a New York cabbie, who had the unfortunate mishap of transporting a dead body in the trunk of his cab unknowingly. While helping an elderly lady to her elevator with her groceries, two men who were currently incarcerated had dumped the mutilated body of their murder victim in his taxi. Continuing on with his run, he was none the wiser until he returned his vehicle at the close of his shift. He immediately contacted law enforcement, claiming black and blue the body was not put there by him. However, the identity of the victim, Linda Metcalfe, previously Freidman, was his ex-wife, who had set out to ruin his life at her earliest convenience. He had lost his home, money and children to the woman, and made no bones about the fact he wanted her dead. It was this information that led the police to believe that it was 'all too convenient' for it not to have been Freidman. When he had approached her months ago, Kate Beckett knew the case was going to be tough, but his animosity against his wife was limited to verbal aggression and use of the legal system to maintain partial custody of his three young children. It was cases like this that Kate championed; ones which seemed almost impossible to overturn, despite the fact the defendant was innocent. She was good at reading people, and Marcus Freidman did not give her a psychopath vibe; he had broken down in tears when he thought of his children living without a mother, then even more when he considered the possibility of his imprisonment, leaving them stranded.

"With the detention of Gareth Porter and Harrison Samuels in police custody, who have forensic evidence linking them to Ms. Metcalfe's death, it is clear that Mr. Freidman was indeed not involved in the murder of his ex-wife," she finished, thanking the jury and the judge before taking her seat.

"You really think we got a chance here?" Marcus whispered to her as the judge dismissed the jury for a verdict.

Kate's shoulders were high, her head up and there was the hint of a grin forming at the corners of her mouth.

"Yes, Marcus," she said, nodding and turning to face him, "I think we do."

"How do you figure?" he asked, concern ladened his tone, "I mean, I don't really give a damn about bein' locked up, it's just…what about my kids? I, I mean, without me or Linda, they don't got no one."

Kate could see the pain in his eyes at the thought of losing his children. True, they were beautiful girls, all three of them, the eldest eight years old and the youngest just three. She couldn't imagine the stress or agony associated with losing your children; it was an experience she hoped she would never have to endure.

"Marcus, we are going to get you your kids back," Kate stated, "we have good, strong evidence. Evidence that is leaving the prosecutors shitting their pants because they think we've got the nuts."

Groaning in despair, Marcus leaned away from Kate, back against the seat, closing and rubbing his tired eyes. He looked like he was about to cry again, but Kate hoped he wouldn't. At least, not until they'd pronounced him innocent and moved onto the issue of his daughters. However, that was for the Family Court to discuss, Kate was merely here to prove he didn't kill his ex-wife.

"The jury has returned with a verdict."

The announcement from the judge caused the room to fall into immediate silence. Kate sat up a little higher, and Marcus snapped upright again. His expression was eager, a mixture of fearful yet hopeful anticipation. Kate just prayed it was the latter that would come through in the end.

The head juror stood, holding the card which Kate knew held their collective decision. The jury had been quick in coming back to the court room, a thought which could sway the lawyer one of two ways. Either they were all positive of their carefully thought through decision, which Kate vowed very likely; the members of the jury seemed to be fairly intelligent, and appeared to be genuinely alert during the respective arguments. Or, the option Kate almost refused to think; they were simply lazy and ruled him guilty without thought. Clasping a hand on Marcus' knee, she pleaded silently within herself that they were as smart as they looked.

"The jury finds Marcus Freidman not guilty of the murder of Linda Metcalfe," exclaimed the young female juror, leaving Marcus in a relieved heap over the desk. Kate let out a shrill cry of laughter, putting a hand on his shoulder as she smiled.

"We did it!" she said into his ear, his body lifting back into a seated position as he huffed, a look of pure relief and joy sweeping over his face. The court behind them had also erupted, Marcus' brother giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder from behind the barriers.

"You did it, man!"

Kate stood, leaving the brothers to converse, to shake hands with the prosecutor, Jonathan McManus who, despite losing, was grinning at her.

"Good job, Beckett," he said, giving her a strong shake and returning her smile. She knew better than to fraternize with opposing lawyers, but McManus had proven to be one of the good guys in her experience.

"Thanks McManus, sorry you had to draw the short straw," Kate added, releasing his hand and placing her own on her hips. He gave shrug, a small laugh and shook his head gently.

"Come on," he began, "anyone who comes up against you in a courtroom is _going_ to lose. It's just a well-known fact in New York."

The two laughed together for a moment, before McManus excused himself and hurried out of the courtroom. She took the opportunity to return to retrieve her briefcase and check her cell. Not that she was expecting any calls, but that was an even greater reason for there to be some.

"Kate?"

Turning abruptly, she offered a smile to Marcus, who was standing right by her, smiling. Relief was still visible on his face, as he reached out to shake her hand.

"Thank you," he said, "thank you so much. I couldn't have done this without you."

Her cheeks went one or two shades pinker, but her smile remained just as bright as moments ago, as he let her hand go and sighed.

"Really. Thank you."

"Marcus, it was my pleasure," Kate said quietly, "besides, there's never a problem with defending someone who was wrongly accused when the welfare of his children are at stake."

"Let's hope your brother is just as good as you," he said with a smile. Kate tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, "My brother?"

"Andrew Beckett, over at the Family Court," Marcus explained, "Ain't he your brother?"

"Oh, of course, yes," Kate smiled with a nod, "Yup, that's my brother alright."

Marcus smiled, the thought of his current lawyer's brother dealing with the custody of his girls made the ordeal much less stressful. He'd heard that he was just as relentless and professional in the court room, demanding the wellbeing of those involved be the focus of the case rather than the 'easy' option. As someone who had dealings with custodial issues previously, Marcus knew well of Andrew Beckett's reputation.

"Well, I'm hopin' the success is a family thing," he laughed, before he bade farewell and exited with his own brother. The courtroom had begun to clear significantly, and Kate took the opportunity to grab her coat, briefcase and then leave before she was sucked into more conversations. Not that she didn't enjoy talking to Marcus, but the case had been long and comprised a lot of elements that had to be dealt with correctly, or they could very well have lost.

But, the case was done, and she could set her mind on the week she had off, starting tomorrow. It was going to be a well-earned break; she hadn't had any weekdays off in a _long_ time, not since her youngest daughter was born. Granted, her firm had allowed her to work from home on the weekends and occasions when her husband was out of town, but other than that, she was pretty much an overtime girl. Pulling out her cell, Kate dialed her home number, expecting to have her husband answer the phone. Instead, it rolled over onto the answering machine.

_Hmm, that's odd_, she thought to herself; surely they should be home by now, it was almost 3:30pm. She shook it off, figuring her husband had probably taken their kids for ice cream. He was always spoiling them with little treats like that, especially when Kate was working a lot.

Walking out the front doors of the courthouse, she was about to hail a cab, when a familiar voice and a flash of orange came running toward her.

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" came the little voice, loud and excited, as a pair of tiny arms clamped around her hips, causing a smile to spread across her face.

"Hey, Lexi, how are you?" Kate asked, being released by the young girl so she could squat down to her level. Placing her briefcase on the ground and her coat on top, she pulled her oldest child into a tight hug, placing a kiss just above her ear.

"Did you have a good day at school?" Kate asked, standing to collect her coat and briefcase. Before her daughter could reply, however, the two were interrupted.

"Alexis, what did I tell you about running off like that?" came the worried voice of Kate's husband, Rick, "Who knows who could have grabbed you!"

"But I saw Mommy!" the young red-head argued, "And I missed her!"

Kate turned to face Rick, laughing at the sight. He was pushing a pram with one hand, holding a young child on his hip with other while glancing frequently to another small boy who was holding the side of his jacket while devouring an ice cream.

"Lexi, honey, you know better than to run off," Kate added sternly, "especially when it's just Daddy on his own."

With a lot of kids, Kate and Rick had tried to re-iterate the importance of staying together. Most of the time, they listened, but they were still only very young.

"Sorry, Mommy," Alexis said, looking at her feet, before glancing up through her eyebrows with a grin, "But are you glad to see me?"

Kate laughed, pulling the girl in for another quick hug, "Of course I'm glad to see you, sweetie."

"Momma, look," came the voice of the young boy at his father's side, "Dadda got me ice cream!"

"I see that," Kate said, smiling, leaning down to plant on kiss on his head, before placing her coat over the top of the stroller. Beaming, her older son, David, turned his attention back to his treat, which was now also all over his face.

"Hey, honey," she said quietly, moving forward to peck Rick on the lips, as well as leaving a kiss on her younger son, Lucas' cheek.

"Long day?" he asked her, as she took the stroller from his hand and placed her briefcase in the carrier below her sleeping, seven-month old daughter. Puffing her mouth out as she sighed, Kate nodded, pinching the bridge of her nose momentarily before turning to Alexis.

"Alexis, honey, hold on to the stroller, please," Kate said, the young girl obliging quietly. Rick had now taken David's hand, and was leading him in the direction of their car, their conversation incoherent from Kate's position.

"Did you have a good day at school, sweetie?" she asked her daughter, who was skipping alongside her, humming.

"Ah-huh," Alexis began, "we started our new words and we got to pick out our new books for our Home Reader and then we had to paint a picture to put up in the classroom."

"And what did you paint a picture of?" Kate queried, reaching a finger forward to stroke her baby daughter's cheek. She smiled at how angelic she looked, her mouth in a little 'o' and her eyelids fluttering as she slept.

"I painted you," Alexis began, "and Daddy and David and Lucas and baby Elise!"

Kate smiled, "I bet that would have been a very pretty picture."

Alexis nodded excitedly, returning to her humming from moments before. The young red-head had been the most excited when Elise, Kate's youngest, was born. Having grown up with two younger brothers, she had been adamant about having a little sister to play with. If she were being honest, Kate herself had hoped for a baby girl too; after Alexis grew into her independent stage and decided she could now do everything herself (not quite), she missed the joy of having a little girl she could spoil with attention.

Reaching the family SUV, Rick already had it opened and was helping Lucas into his car seat, while David sat behind him, prodding his face with a napkin. Kate smiled at her boys; they both looked so alike, but their personalities could not be more different. She reveled in the fact that all of her children were different from one another; they each had their own little quirks and personality traits. Still, from the outside, you knew they were a family, for even though they were each an individual, they were all the same in some way.

_Like a patchwork quilt!_ Rick had exclaimed excitedly one night, not too long ago. They were still waiting for Elise's character to emerge, but in the meantime, they were happy with their brood.

"Lex, honey, hop in," Kate said, as the girl clambered into the very back seat, seating herself in the booster beside David. Parking the stroller, Kate threw her coat and briefcase on the passenger side, before turning back to Elise. Smiling, she reached in to gently pick up her daughter, who was now awake and wide-eyed. Kate gazed at her lovingly, gave her quick kiss on the nose and then lifted her into the baby seat next to Lucas. As she fastened her in, Kate every now and then gave a gentle tickle to Elise's belly, causing her to giggle adorably each time.

"Who's a gorgeous girl?" she cooed, tickling her once more, leaving her a kiss on the cheek before gently closing the back door.

Rick had already folded and packed the stroller in the back of the car, and was closing the other side door as he gave a huge grin to Kate. Smiling, she climbed elegantly into the passenger side, her briefcase on the floor and coat on her lap, sighing.

"You okay?" Rick asked, more out of interest than actual concern. He knew when she had had a bad day; she would be curt, tense and riled up. Fortunately, today was not one of those days. Kate turned to her husband, offering him a smile and taking his open hand that lay over the middle of the car.

"I'm great," she said, leaning back into her seat, closing her eyes and smiling. She felt the car jerk to life, before it pulled out from the curb. She could hear her children chattering in the back, Rick humming along to the radio and little Elise blowing raspberries behind her.

She'd been looking forward to the end of this week more so than any other in a while. The infrequent occurrence of her having time off meant that this chance was going to be taken to go on a little family vacation. Kate was still unconvinced the Hamptons could be considered an actual vacation, but it was a break she was willing to enjoy, regardless of her opinions.

"Momma, are you excited?" came the voice of Alexis from the back seat. Kate opened her eyes and peeked in the review mirror; over the middle seats, she could see her blue eyes peering over, as well as the creases in the corner which told Kate she was smiling.

"Of course I am, sweetie," Kate said, "what about you?"

Alexis nodded excitedly, before she was distracted by David hitting her in the arm.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" the young girl cried, holding her arm and sticking her bottom lip out in a pout.

"You weren't listening!" David argued, crossing his arms in an exaggerated huff.

"David, that doesn't mean you hit people," Rick added sternly, "you have to be patient, wait your turn."

Sighing, Kate heard her son turn and apologize to his sister, who was quick to accept it. Moments later, you would never have guessed anything had happened, as they gazed out the window, laughing at a 'silly looking lady'.

Feeling Rick's hand squeeze hers, she looked up at him to find him smiling at her, turning away only to pull into their building garage and park. As soon as the car was off, the sound of unclicking seatbelts, incoherent chattering and car doors opening erupted into the previously silent parking garage.

"Oh, by the way," Rick began, as he unclipped Lucas and then began to pull out the stroller, "your parents called; said they're good for dinner tonight."

Kate nodded and smiled, pulling Elise from her seat and taking Alexis' hand.

"Sweetie, could you grab Mommy's coat?" she asked, the eager young girl bounding to the front seat, as Kate turned back to Rick.

"Great!" she exclaimed, "You told them 6 o'clock, right?"

Sometimes, Rick wasn't the greatest at remembering times, no matter how much you reminded him. His goldfish memory when it came to numbers was something that both amused and irritated Kate.

"Is that what time I was supposed to tell them?" he asked hopefully, to which Kate nodded.

"Phew!"

Laughing softly at her husband received a grin, which turned into a quick embrace when she reached the back of the car. Kate felt a kiss on the side of her head, before the warmth of Rick was gone, headed toward the elevator with her sons.

"Come on, Lex," Kate called, "Miss Elise is getting hungry."

"Coming, Momma," Alexis said, suddenly appearing at her side clutching Kate's coat and briefcase. Thankfully, it wasn't all that heavy today, otherwise her red-headed five-year-old might have struggled.

"Oh, thank you pumpkin," Kate gushed, giving Alexis' shoulder a gentle squeeze before she pushed softly toward the elevator.

"It's okay, Mommy," Alexis said, skipping and chasseing over to her father. An objective squeal came from a grumbling Elise, who was getting uneasy in Kate's arms. Her mouth was turning into a pout, and Kate could see the tears starting, as her tiny fists flailed in the air.

"It's okay, beautiful, we're almost home," she soothed, kissing her daughter's forehead and bouncing her lightly on her hip.

"Aww, is little Elise hungry?" Rick cooed, reaching over to wipe a tear from the baby's cheek with his thumb. Kate nodded, smiling – she was doing that a lot lately.

The family piled into the elevator, Alexis chattering away with David and Lucas clinging to his father's hand and side, while Kate stood right beside her husband, leaning on him while still slowly rocking Elise. When the doors closed, and the carriage began to move up toward the penthouse, Rick turned to his children and wife.

"So, who's ready for a Castle Vacation?" he cried, emitting cheers from the three older children, and a huge smile from Kate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, so many alerts! Thank you guys so much! When I woke up and checked my e-mails, I was…yeah, WOW! You my lovelies are AMAZEBALLS! **

**So anyways, here is the next chapter, offering up a little bit of background into the lives of the Castles, and also, the time frame is now. So right now for them, it's the beginning of December 2011 (:**

**P.S. Castle isn't mine; otherwise you'd see this…**

**X X X X X**

Once in their loft, the little family moved quickly inside. Alexis, David and Lucas ran upstairs, Alexis to put her school bag away, the boys simply following. Kate bee lined for the kitchen, the fussy child in her arms waving her fists expectantly. Rick took his wife's and his own coat and put them in the hallway closet, before leaving the stroller against the wall.

"Rick, honey," Kate called, "could you take Elise so I can start on dinner?"

The lower floor was almost silent now, with only muffled noises from the kids upstairs and the quiet slurping of Elise on her bottle. Kate smiled at her baby, girl, who was looking between her mother and father as he made his way over. Offering a wordless agreement, Rick took Elise gently from Kate's arms, rocking her ever so softly, whispering things to the small girl as he walked absent-mindedly to the living room.

Smiling, Kate quickly began to move about the kitchen, pulling pots and pans out of the cupboard, some frozen vegetables out of the freezer. Checking her watch quickly, she began to hasten; it was already 4pm, and she needed everything to be in the oven soon. Efficiently, she managed to pull together everything needed for a decent sized lasagna, and began to switch between chopping vegetables and layering the dinner.

Rick was walking toward her, childless, clasping a monitor in his right hand. Holding it up, he smiled, as he placed it on the counter.

"She went right off," he said, joining Kate on the inside of the kitchen, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"That girl sleeps more than you do," she laughed, offering him the knife, looking between him and the vegetables that were yet to be chopped. Smiling, he took it and turned to the bench top, slicing carrots with incredible skill.

"Well, it'd be easy for _anyone_ to sleep more than you, Kate," Ricked toyed, receiving a glare from his wife. He chuckled, moving on to another carrot just as the phone rang.

Not taking her eyes from the dinner, Kate reached out and quickly answered, holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kate; it's Andy."

"Oh, hey, what's up?" Kate replied, somewhat surprised by her brother's call.

"I'm finishing up some background on that Marcus Freidman guy and was curious," he said, a mocked hurt to his voice, before he laughed, "How'd you guys go today?"

Kate sighed, smiling, grabbing two oven trays from the cupboard behind for the vegetables as she continued.

"We won!" she exclaimed, which attained a sigh of relief from Andy.

"Good," he stated, "there's a greater chance of success with his kids now."

"Do you think he'll get the girls?" Kate asked, worried, "I mean, he still has that sister up in Maine –"

"She's been ruled out," Andy interrupted.

"What? Really?" Kate muttered, both shocked and confused, "Why?"

"They found her, ah, substance collection," he said and Kate could hear the grin in his voice, "so, short of ending up in Social Services, those girls have a good chance of going home to their father."

Kate sighed in relief; if those were the only two options, Andy would see to it the children got what was best for them.

"That's great!" she exclaimed, before changing the subject, "Hey, have you heard from Lizzie lately?"

Lizzie was the middle sibling in the Beckett family, and could safely be said to be the odd one out. Both Kate and Andy had become lawyers, their strong will, persistence and obligation to those around them leading them to that field. They in fact worked at the same firm in the city in different divisions. Lizzie, although she had the same tenacity and will, was softer around the edges. She was extremely likeable, and was adept at coping with people Kate and Andy would cringe at from annoyance. She was now a grade school teacher in the East Village, but was taking time off due to her second pregnancy.

On the other line, Kate heard Andy sigh, a mix of worry and irritation audible.

"No; and when I tried calling her, she insisted everything was fine," Andy said, frustrated. Kate mimicked his sigh from moments ago, shaking her head.

"I think we need to intervene," Kate said, "I'm worried; she's never closed up like this."

"She's never closed up _at all_," Andy reminded.

Moving around her kitchen while on the phone, Kate had managed to finish layering the lasagna and put it in the oven, Rick following close behind with the vegetables. She flashed a quick smile at her husband before returning her attention to her brother.

"Listen, when I get back, we'll take her for lunch," Kate suggested, "It might get her to open up a little."

Andy made a hesitant groan from the other line, "Maybe it should just be you."

Kate cocked her head, but almost slapped herself after realizing Andy couldn't actually see her confusion. But somehow, he sensed it, continuing on anyway.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I love her, but…" he faded out, Kate's lips pursed in amusement, "I don't really wanna sit there and hear about girl talk and pregnancy crap."

Laughing out loud, Kate shook her head, "How did you even get a girlfriend?"

"Hey! Don't be mean!"

"I'm the oldest, it's my job!"

"Pfft!"

Kate laughed at Andy's childish tone, before he joined.

"Well, have a good dinner – aren't Mom and Dad going?" he asked, before receiving confirmation that they were.

Rick stood behind the kitchen bench, watching Kate from behind. He admired her, his eyes scanning her physique, his heart warming at the sound of her laugh and the sight of her smile. He would never get tired of hearing them.

Watching as she finished up her call and walked back toward him, he received a raised eyebrow.

"Were you staring again?" she asked, crossing her arms and flicking her long hair out of her face. Rick shrugged his shoulders, flashed a childish grin then laughed.

"What can I say," he said, "you are _very_ easy to look at."

"Mm-hmm."

She was caught in the middle of her disapproving look by his lips on hers, a hand on the small of her back pulling her closer while the other rested on her cheek. Her hands unfolded and rested on his chest, just below his shoulders, as she felt her eyes close and his mouth assaulting hers.

The noise of loud footfalls stunned them, but they separated slowly, not moving far from each other's reach. Kate was smiling like a school girl at him, gazing into his bright blue eyes which he had passed on to three of his children.

"Eww, Mommy and Daddy, were you kissing again?" Alexis cried, paused on the bottom step with her brothers, her face scrunched up in a look of disgust.

Rick let go of Kate and wandered over to his red-headed daughter and bent down in front of her.

"Maybe we were," he said, grinning "what are you gonna do about it?"

"That's gross!" Alexis exclaimed, before she was taken over by giggles, Rick clasping her around the middle and lifting her over his shoulder. There were laughs and shouts from all three children, as they tugged on Rick's clothing, trying to get him to the couch, Lucas clinging to his leg, smiling.

"Guys!" Kate called, each of them looking to her, a finger held over her mouth, "Elise is sleeping."

"Oopsie," Alexis whispered, still half giggling.

Lucas was still attached to Rick's leg, sitting on his foot, while David was holding the side of his father's shirt, in an attempt to reach Alexis.

Smiling at her family, Kate shook her head before starting to turn.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said, pointing at Alexis, "you make sure Daddy is a good boy, okay?"

Giggling, Alexis nodded, now down on her feet next to David. Rick gave a glare, then a grin and a wink before she disappeared down the hall into their bedroom.

She took the chance to peek into Elise's crib, and saw her laying sprawled on her back, her breathing slow and even. Kate smiled, leaning forward to leave a kiss on the baby girl's forehead. Elise didn't stir, and Kate suspected she wouldn't until the rest of the family arrived.

Moving into the bathroom and closing the door, she thought about her functional albeit wacky family. Rick was a best-selling mystery writer, having completed his _Derrick Storm_ series not long before Lucas' first birthday. Since then, he hadn't published, but was in the process of writing his new series, set for release early next year.

Kate herself was a lawyer, both herself and her younger brother taking after their parents. She liked her job; sure the hours could be crazy and it could be mentally draining, but there was a certain kind of accomplishment that came with helping people who were wrongfully convicted.

As for her children, well, the thought of them made Kate smile, reaching into the shower and turning on the water. She let the warmth caress her body, shutting her eyes as she thought. Yes, her kids were every bit as interesting as their parents, apparently.

Alexis was her oldest, born in October 2006. She had recently started elementary school; her first day, she'd told Kate and Rick they could go home, that she was fine.

"_Bye Mommy, bye Daddy!" Alexis said, giving both her parents a tight hug and a kiss before skipping off. Not that you could go very far, her teacher, Miss Carter, was waiting only a few feet away. _

"_Can we stay a little longer?" Rick whispered in Kate's ear, as she adjusted the sleeping boy on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the tears in his eyes, his smile so wide it looked as though it were going to split his face in half. _

_Nodding, Kate turned back to her daughter, who was weaving her way through children to get back to her parents._

"_Everything okay, sweetie?" Rick asked, worry evident in his tone. But, the little girl looked completely at ease, if not a little annoyed. She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, gazing up at her mother and father._

"_You know, you guys can go home now," she said, gently, "Lucas is sleeping, and I'm fine. I'll see you after school!"_

Kate laughed at the memory; her little girl had been so excited to start school, and still was ecstatic every morning when she was dropped off. Her teachers had expressed their astonishment at how intelligent and conscientious she was. They also had a comment or two about her witty remarks, but assured they were never nasty. Alexis was a clean split of both her parents, good-humored and warm like her father, tenacious and headstrong like her mother. Her red hair was one thing she'd inherited from her Grams, and also caused her to stand out in their family. Still Kate was glad the young girl didn't care, even stating that it made her 'unique'.

As she massaged the shampoo through her hair, Kate thought of her oldest son, David. He was minutes away from being the first baby born in 2008, but instead was a December baby. David was _exactly_ like Rick in every way. He had the same adorable looks, sense of humor, quick wit and imagination as his father. He was proud of that fact, Kate remembering the first time he'd ever shown his pride.

"_Kate, let me grab that –"_

"_Rick, I'm pregnant, not and invalid!" Kate snapped, as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder and kept walking. He followed behind, growling under his breath, a little boy snoozing on his shoulder and a little girl skipping by his side. Kate herself was carrying a small boy in her arms as well._

"_Nearly there!" Alexis exclaimed, as excitement bubbled in her face and she began jumping expectantly on the corner. _

_It was a chilly New Year's Eve, and the Castle family was headed out for lunch to celebrate David's third birthday. Leading them into a little diner in SoHo, Rick kissed the side of his son's head, as the young boy began to fidget awake. Alexis was now clinging to Kate's arm, as they headed for their favorite booth in the back, followed closely by the David and Rick. _

"_Momma, can I hold Lucas?" the young girl asked, her big blue eyes gazing up at her mother. Kate nodded, shifting the young 20 month old onto the seat beside his big sister. He was quiet and clingy, but loved his sister, smiling and giggling as she spoke to him._

_Rick had joined them with a now wide awake and very excited David._

"_Well, well, aren't you just the picture perfect family!" exclaimed the waitress, her southern accent noticeable but not overwhelming. Kate smiled, her daughter and youngest son busy conversing, while Rick and David bore matching grins. _

"_Oh, you my boy look just like your Daddy!" she said, smiling wide and reaching a finger out to stroke his cheek. David nodded excitedly, climbing onto the seat beside his father._

"_Yeah-huh!" David agreed, bouncing up and down in his seat, "Dadda says I'm handsome like him!" _

_Laughing, the young server quickly took their orders before leaving. Kate was smiling at her birthday boy, who was positively beaming back at her._

"_You know what, David?" Kate said, his eyes wide as he stared at her, still smiling, "I think you're more handsome than Daddy."_

"_Hey!"_

As she rinsed the foam out of her hair, Kate laughed out loud. David was as proud of being more handsome as Rick was devastated at being upstaged by his own son. Shaking her head, she continued on with her shower, squirting some conditioner onto her palm before applying it to her hair. The contrast between her two sons was huge. David's bright exuberance often shadowed the quiet achievements of little Lucas, but Kate made sure the younger boy was always smiling. Although he didn't talk much, he spoke beautifully, possibly the best out of all their kids at the age of almost 3. Lucas resembled Kate most, his eyes being the only green ones aside from hers. He loved Kate, had told her so many times, but proved it whenever he could. While he still loved his father dearly, he was a momma's boy, while David and Alexis were clearly Daddy fans.

"_Mommy?"_

_Kate's eyes looked up from her book, her tiny two and a half year old standing at the foot of her bed, a picture book in his hands._

"_Hey sweetie," she said, patting the bed for him to join her, "What you got there?"_

_Once he was seated beside her, Lucas put the book on his lap, looking from its colorful cover to Kate._

"_Can you help me, please?" he asked, opening it to the first page and pointing at the words in front of him._

"_Of course, baby," she said, pulling him close, allowing him to snuggle in her side. Looking to the book, she smiled to see he had picked out _Tootle_, his favorite Little Golden Book. He gazed at te words, his finger passing over each and every one as Kate began to read._

"_Far, far west of everywhere is the village of Lower Trainswitch. All the baby locomotives go there to learn to be big locomotives. The young locomotives steam up and down the tracks, trying to call out the long, sad, ToooOooot of the big locomotives. But the best they can do is a gay little Tootle. Lower Trainswitch has a fine school for engines. There are lessons in Whistle Blowing, Stopping for a Red Flag Waving, Puffing Loudly When Starting, Coming Around Curves Safely, Screeching When Stopping and Clicking and Clacking Over the Rails."_

_Pausing to turn the page, Lucas put a hand on his mother's arm._

"_Can I try?" he asked, his eyes wide, a grin starting at the corners of his mouth. Lucas was good at recognizing words; if you showed him a word once, he would be able to read it._

_Kate nodded, as his little finger moved to the first word on the page, he took a breath and started._

"_Of all the…things that are…"_

"_Taught." _

"_Taught in the L – Low – "_

"_Lower Trainswitch," Kate helped, her hand on his._

"_Lower Trainswitch School for Lo – Loco – mot – motiv – Locomotives – "_

"_Good boy," Kate murmured, kissing the top of his head as he continued._

"_The most important is, of…of c – course, Staying on the Rails No Matter What."_

_Lucas looked up at Kate, his smile wide and eyes gleaming. She was amazed at how well the young boy read and spoke, and was tearing up at the sound of his little voice. _

"_Can I keep going, Momma?" he asked, grinning._

"_Of course you can, Lucas."_

Rinsing her hair then shutting off the shower, Kate noticed the smile on her face in the mirror. Reaching for a towel, she began to think of the trip they were headed off on tomorrow. They were going to spend a week in the Hamptons at their beach house, a journey which had all the kids jittery with excitement. It would be Elise's first time at the beach, and Kate's first time in a swimsuit since she was born. Shuddering at the thought, she shook it from her mind as she began to dry herself. In the bedroom, she pulled out a pair of leggings and a loose shirt. They were comfortable, but looked clean and casual at the same time. Slipping on her clothes and a pair of ballet flats, she walked back over to the crib, which was now empty.

_Rick probably has her_, she thought to herself, walking quietly out of the bedroom into the open loft. She heard her husband's voice, but other than that, it was relatively silent. When she aimed to recognize what he was saying, she smiled.

""_Where shall I sleep, Grandfather?"_

"_Wherever you want to.""_

Kate could hear Rick reciting _Heidi_, one of the many favorite books in the house. When she rounded the corner, she stopped, feeling the tears building up.

Elise was sat on Rick's knee, his arm around her middle, while he held the novel in his free hand. Alexis was curled up beside Elise, while David and Lucas were snuggling into each other and their father.

"_This seemed to please the child_," Rick continued reading, "_and she began to inspect every corner. By the grandfather's bed, wooden steps went up, and when the child climbed the little ladder she found herself in the hay-loft. A bale of hay, fresh and sweet-smelling, lay on the floor, and from a little window in the roof she could see far down in to the valley_."

Before he could keep reading, Elise had seen Kate in the corner, and squealed in excitement, her arms reaching and flailing for her mother. All sets of eyes were then on Kate, as Lucas stood excitedly, running into his mother's arms.

"Hey baby," she whispered, kissing the top of his head before she released him, and he ran back to the couch. Alexis and David were still sitting, discussing their love of _Heidi_, while Rick had followed Lucas, and was now standing in front of her with Elise.

Smiling and cooing, Kate took the baby from her husband, before she was enveloped in a hug.

"Good shower?" he asked, taking in the scent of her shampoo, the cherry one he loved.

"Mm-hmm," she mumbled, giggling as Elise began to fiddle with her earring.

"Hey, beautiful," she whispered, leaning her forehead against her daughter's, a hand stroking her hair. Elise let out another cry of delight, giggling as Rick tickled her side.

"Here," she said, carefully passing their smiling daughter to her husband, "I'll go check on dinner."

Kate loved watching Rick with their kids; he had a way with children that Kate could never fathom. She was always told she worked well with children, but she figured the reason being she was the oldest of three. She had grown up looking after her younger sister and brother, along with her parents, whereas Rick was an only child.

_Maybe he's just talented_, she mused, smiling to herself when she saw the dinner was close to ready. Checking the time, she realized she must have been in the shower longer than she thought – it was almost 6.

The buzzing of the door caused her head to turn, but Alexis, David and Lucas were already running for it, amidst 'I got it's and arguing about who would open the door.

Eventually, Alexis got to open it because she could reach the easiest, but decided David and Lucas should hug their grandparents first.

"Nanna!"

"Grandpa!"

Incoherent shouts of joy were heard from the doorway, as the older couple made their way into the loft, Alexis gently shutting the door behind them. Kate moved closer, Rick joining her from the other side of the room, and they stood, watching the noisy children guide their grandparents toward them.

David and Lucas were still badgering Kate's father, leaving her mother to walk over to her, smiling.

"Hey, Katie," she greeted, pulling her into a warm embrace. Kate knew she would never get tired of these hugs.

"Hey, Mom," she said, pulling apart, allowing them to smile at one another before her mother turned to her husband.

"Johanna, good to see you again," Rick said, leaving a kiss on the woman's cheek, smiling.

"And you too, Rick," she said, as Kate's father appeared beside her, two small boys clinging to each of his legs.

"Hey kids!" he exclaimed, his own grin just as wide as Johanna's. Laughing, Kate bent down to tickle Lucas' sides, causing him to let go instantly, curling into a giggling ball.

Kate growled playfully, swinging him up and over her shoulder, the young boy's laughter ecstatic and loud. David was laughing too, standing up to try and 'save' his younger brother from their Mom.

Rick laughed at his wife, before turning back to her parents, offering a hand to the newcomer.

"Jim."

"Rick."

The men exchanged a handshake and a warm smile before Alexis appeared beside them.

"Hey, Nanna, come look what I made in school!"

Johanna was escorted off enthusiastically by the young five year old, while Jim stroked the cheek of the baby girl in Rick's arms. Smiling, Elise reached her arms out and leaned over to her grandfather, falling into his embrace. With his arms now free and a after a nod of okay from Jim, he turned to find his wife sprawled on the floor, both her sons clambering on top of her. All three were laughing madly, as her hands attempted to tickle the boys. However, they seemed to be outdoing her, their hands finding her stomach and tickling intensely. Both David and Lucas knew that was the only place she was ticklish.

"Here comes Daddy!" Rick yelled before throwing himself on the ground next to his wife, his boys squealing as he began to tickle them back. Kate took Lucas around the middle, pulling his wriggling body closer to her, his laughter escalating.

"I got you!" she cried, "Got you, got you, got you!"

Rick was doing similar with David, his brown hair flopping as he was held upside down by his Dad.

"Haha, you're upside down!" Lucas cried, pointing at his silly looking brother, before Kate stood and lifted him up onto her shoulders. He grinned as he looked around the loft, now at a higher vantage point than his father. He looked down at Rick, who was now holding David upside down in one arm, clutching to his side.

"Daddy, put me down!" the boy laughed, letting his arms flail above his head.

"Don't worry, David, I'll save you!" came the voice of Alexis, who had returned from her bedroom with Johanna, and was now wrapping her arms around David's chest, trying to get him free.

Johanna smiled at the sight of her older grandchildren, joining Jim who was holding a giggling Elise.

Turning to the baby girl, Johanna stroked under her chin lovingly, smiling and kissing her nose.

"Yeah, Mommy and Daddy are pretty silly, aren't they?" she said, laughing softly.

Elise squealed in delight.

**X X X X X**

**I know, sorry, I'm a little long-winded at time!**

**Before I forget, I do NOT own **_**Tootle, Little Golden Books**_** or **_**Heidi**_**. Interestingly enough, the author of the original **_**Heidi**_** is named 'Johanna'. What a coinkidink!**

**Anyway, I hope you liked it, and I hope you have a better (though still not complete) understanding of the Castle family. Things won't always be sunshine lollipops though, there will be some small speedbumps, in the hopes it doesn't get **_**too**_** fluffy.**

**But, let me know what you think, I'm happy to oblige (:**

**Kayla x**


	3. Chapter 3

**I apologize for the wait on this; I've been busy and have barely found time to breathe, let alone write. Anyway, here's the new one, read, review and good luck with your Christmas Shopping!**

**X X X X X**

Kate stood at the sink, her hands submerged in warm, soapy water, brushing a dish cloth over the dirty plates from the evening's dinner. Rick stood beside her, towel in hand, taking each dish as she washed it, drying it then stacking them on the bench top. It was a solid system, nutted out through years of practice. Now, Rick was pretty sure he could do it in his sleep.

The loft was practically silent, aside from the quiet hum of the radio, turned down low enough so as not to wake the sleeping children in the house. Elise had gone first; almost as soon as Kate had finished feeding her, she was droopy-eyed in her high chair. By the time she reached her crib, she was fast asleep. Lucas was next, having fallen asleep on his grandfather's lap while they were sitting in the living room. Kate had carried her two-year-old carefully up the stairs, his hands curling around her neck through a half-sleep.

"I love you, Momma," he'd murmured, just as Kate pulled up his blankets, gave him a gentle kiss and began to walk out.

"Love you too, baby," she whispered, closing the door softly.

David and Alexis had been the next to go, just after Jim and Johanna had left. Granted, David went a little easier than their daughter did; he was yawning as he led his grandmother to the door. Rick had taken him upstairs in his arms, the boy staying awake just long enough to get his jammies on before falling silent against his Budgie the Airplane pillowcase.

Kate had walked up the stairs hand in hand with the young redhead, as they whispered quietly about how silly Daddy's socks were and how pretty Nana's necklace was. Helping her brush her teeth and pull on her pink and green pajamas, Kate tucked in a sleepy-looking but excited five-year-old.

"We go to the Hamptons tomorrow!" she'd exclaimed, over and over, Kate simply nodding and smiling each time.

Rick joined her in the hallway, taking them downstairs silently, where they had begun to clean up from the night.

Finishing up the last plate, Kate wiped down the bench top and let the murky water drain out of the sink. Sighing, she looked to the pile of suitcases that were beside the door. Rick had helped the boys pack during the day, and Alexis had finished her packing before their guests had arrived. Her husband had also packed a case for himself and a bag full of Elise's things. Kate was the only one left.

"I'm gonna go pack," she said, stifling a yawn, "then I might hit it."

"Okay, sweetie," Rick said, leaning a kiss onto her head, a smile creeping across both their faces.

"I won't be too long," he called after her, as she reached the hallway door. Turning, she smiled gently, before turning the knob and entering the hall. She walked softly, almost tiptoed toward their bedroom. Inside, Elise was breathing deeply in her sleep, her little hands clasped around a blanket that Alexis had christened as 'Bankie' when she was a toddler.

Carefully, Kate managed to pull out her suitcase and threw things willy-nilly inside. Going through her drawers and decided what she'd need was her system; usually, she ended up with too much, before culling her selections heavily. After that, her bag was always the smallest.

It didn't take her long to fill her case. She double checked she had all her toiletries, had enough clean clothes and lots of warm ones. She lifted it quietly, hoping not to hit anything on the way; if Elise woke up now, she wouldn't sleep for the rest of the night, and subsequently, neither would Kate or Rick.

When she reached the hallway, and finally the living room, the loft was empty. Dumping her suitcase by the door with the others, Kate let out a sigh of relief. At least _that_ was done.

Padding footsteps on the stairs turned her head, where Rick was walking downstairs with a sleepy, upset David. The young boy was in his father's arms, his hands wrapped loosely around Rick's neck, the rest of his body still limp with sleep.

"What's wrong, baby?" Kate whispered, making her way over to her boys, stroking David's face gently. She paused, a worried look setting on her face. Moving the back of her hand to rest on her son's forehead, Kate could feel him burning up.

"He's got a fever, Rick," Kate said, watching her husband pour a clear colored liquid into a medicine cup. She glanced only momentarily, as she moved quickly out of the kitchen back in the direction she came. Rick knew her intentions, so continued to fix the medicine for David.

"Here ya go, buddy," he said, sitting the moaning young boy on the bench top, holding the small, plastic cup to his lips.

"No, Daddy!" he cried, beginning to sob, "It's too yucky!"

Kate could hear her son's protests from the bathroom, quickening her pace as she searched the first aid kit. She pulled out the thermometer, gently shut the cabinet and hurried back to the kitchen.

Rick was attempting to soothe the young boy, but he was relentless, and his sobs became louder each second.

"David, honey," Kate whispered quickly, moving in beside Rick, "you need to shush, okay?"

"B-but it h-hurts-s, Mommy," he blubbered, his shoulders shaking.

"Has he had the medicine yet?" Kate asked, looking to the still full vial in Rick's hands. He shook his head worryingly, as the little boy reached for his father.

"This will make it go away," Rick cooed, holding out the medicine, David's hands hesitating, then taking it. Keeping a hand on the bottom, he helped guide the cup to the young boy's lips. He shuddered at the taste, but swallowed still, as he reached once again for Rick.

"Come here, buddy," he said, lifting the quietly weeping three-year-old into his arms. Resting his head on his daddy's shoulder, David closed his eyes, still moaning through his sleepiness. Kate pressed a kiss to his temple, the thermometer still in her hand.

She raised it slowly, placing it gently into his ear. He flinched a little, but was quieter now, as he began to doze off. He still moaned softly every few seconds, but they were getting less frequent.

A beep sounded, as Kate pulled the thermometer away and read it. She sighed, a small smile on her face.

"He's okay," she said, "just a little warm."

"Cold?"

"Probably."

There was a cold doing the rounds at both Alexis' school and David's pre-school; they were expecting it to show up eventually.

"We better get this sack of potatoes up to bed," Rick whispered, his feet beginning to move at Kate's nod.

Leaving the thermometer on the bench top, she followed her husband and son upstairs. When they had first moved into the loft, there had only been two bedrooms upstairs. At the time that was all they needed, as Alexis was still young and David was a newborn. After Lucas arrived, the boys shared a room for quite some time, and often, Kate would check on them to find both David and Lucas in the same bed. Once Kate and Rick knew they were expecting Elise, they'd had both rooms renovated and split into two, giving them a total of four bedrooms.

They'd spent weeks with their kids, decorating, picking colors and new furniture. Alexis had wound up with a green room, much to the surprise of her parents. Granted, she wasn't a typical five-year-old girl; she loved dinosaurs rather than dollies, and preferred watching _Power Rangers_ over _Dora the Explorer_. That wasn't to say she didn't like pink. For years, it had been her favorite color, and everything she bought had to be pink.

Then, out of the blue, she decided she wanted bright, emerald green.

"_I want an Emerald City room!" Alexis cried, after gasping at a bed frame that was bright green. The metal frame moved upward, providing a canopy at the top, where a matching green, decorative net was hanging. _

"_Like the Wizard of Oz!" she exclaimed happily, running around the bed to inspect it. Her grin was as wide as her face, leaving Kate giggling. Reaching forward, she pushed the blanket of the stroller she was holding aside, gazing in on the sleeping face of her newborn girl. She was three weeks old, and this was one of her first outings. _

"_Can I get it, Momma?" Alexis asked, now standing in front of Kate, hands clasped under her chin, "Pretty please?"_

_Smiling, Kate looked at the bed, tilting her head as she thought. _

"_Are you sure you want a green bed, Lexi?" Kate asked, "I thought you'd want a pink one."_

_Alexis crossed her arms in a huff and sighed irritably._

"_No!" she said, "I want a _green_ one!"_

The room had turned out lovely. Her bed was green, with glittering emerald sheets and a selection of carefully selected cushions adorning it. The rest of her furniture was a dark wood, while the varying knick-knacks that sat atop it were varying shades of green. Alexis had decided that it wasn't an Emerald City room anymore, it was a jungle.

David's room was a typical boy's room; he loved space, and was determined to be an astronaut. His sheets and curtains were covered in spaceships, the little green alien from _Toy Story_ his favorite toy. He had glow-in-the-dark stars attached to his roof, with posters of comets and planets on the walls. In the corner were his light sabers; it was also his greatest wish to become a Jedi. Kate blamed Rick for that one.

Lucas' room was a dinosaur haven. Like his older sister, he loved the prehistoric creatures, and didn't accept any dinosaur that wasn't lifelike. He hated Reptar in _Rugrats_, because 'that's not what real dinosaurs look like'. He had a model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in his room, as well as figurines of his favorites around the room. Even his bed sheets, curtains and pajamas were dino-themed.

As for Elise's room, Kate had taken the time to put everything she could into it. The walls were a pale pink color, chosen by Rick as being the 'least ugly' one. There was a white, single bed in the middle of the room, a cupboard, chest and bookcase, all in pristine white. Kate had picked out a small white and pink tea table and chairs, which sat in the corner, a plastic tea set on top. It was a typical girlie room, and Kate was very proud of it. She hoped Elise would love it once she was old enough.

Now completely silent from sleep, David was tucked in, the stars on his roof giving a dull glow. Softly shutting the door, Rick wrapped an arm around Kate's waist, her own arms crossed, but allowing one to drop and intertwine with the hand on her hip bone.

"I think its bed time," he whispered, with a yawn. As they passed Alexis' room, they peeked in and found her sound asleep, clutching one of her jungle animals. Kate smiled at her daughter, before smirking at her husband.

"Please, it's _past_ your bedtime!"

**X X X X X**

"Hamptons! Hamptons! Hamptons! Hamptons!"

A bundle of red hair and green pajamas came bouncing down the stairs bright and early the next morning, her obvious excitement causing her parents at the breakfast bar to smile.

Rick, being the child he was, ran over, scooped her up, giggling, and they both began chanting, "Hamptons! Hamptons! Hamptons…"

Kate shook her head, as she continued making the breakfast. She'd woken early, and to a smiling Elise, and decided to get a jump start on her day. So far, she'd done all the laundry and packed it spare for their trip, cleaned up the house, fed Elise and was now onto feeding the rest of the house.

Said little girl sat happily in her high chair by the bench, watching intently as her mother made pancakes, eggs and cooked bacon. Whenever Kate would glance in her direction, she'd poke her tongue out, and Elise shrieked and giggled manically.

"Daddy, are you excited?" Alexis exclaimed, positively vibrating from excitement in her father's arms.

"Are you kidding?" he began, his face one of honest excitement, "A whole week away with all my smellies?"

Alexis giggled, as she gasped happily at the plate in front of her. On it, Kate had put a pancake that was almost bigger than the dinner plate itself.

"Thank you Mommy!" she cried, taking the nearby syrup and squirting it liberally on her pancake.

Rick scoffed, "Would you like some pancake with your syrup?"

Mischief filled Alexis' eyes and grin as she looked to Rick, before she shook her head.

"Nuh-uh," she muffled through a bite.

A small blur of blue came gallivanting down the stairs excitedly, climbing eagerly up onto the seat beside his sister.

"'Orn-in 'U-cas!" Alexis greeted, her smile full of pancake and syrup, which earned her a disapproving look from Kate.

"Lexi, don't talk with your mouth full," she scolded, handing a plate adorned with a pancake over to Lucas.

"There you go, sweetie."

"Thanks, Momma," Lucas replied, using his fingers to pull of small pieces to put in his mouth.

Rick ruffled his son's hair gently and left a quick peck on Alexis' cheek as he turned to his wife.

"I'm gonna go check on David," he stated, Kate's worried eyes nodding at him. He'd gone right to sleep last night, and so far hadn't heard him this morning.

Rick walked slowly up the stairs and down the hall, pausing as he got to his eldest son's door. Just as he was about to walk in, the bathroom door to his right was pulled open. David's weary eyes gazed up at him, as he walked slowly and sleepily toward his father.

"Hey, big boy," Rick said softly, hands under David's arms and lifting him upward, "how you feeling today?"

Instead of replying, he rested his still warm forehead in his Dad's neck, an arm wrapping around.

"Still no good?" he asked, heading back down to the kitchen. He felt the little boy's head shake on his shoulder; letting out a sigh, Rick felt David's forehead with the back of his hand. It was warm, but not like last night, and he seemed to be calmer.

"Head still sore?" Rick queried, beginning his move down the stairs. He was surprised when a little voice answered him, rather than simply a gesture.

"Just a little," David said, bringing his head upright.

"But, Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"I was coughing all –"

His sentence was interrupted, as his hand reached up over his mouth and a hoarse cough escaped him, followed by two more.

"– Night."

"I bet you were, kiddo," Rick said, his thumb rubbing gently over David's thigh.

"Can we still go to the Hamptons?" David asked, his eyes wide, "Because, I still want to go. Please Daddy?"

Rick smiled; the fever last night was already being forgotten, as his son's expectant yet tired eyes peered up at him.

"Of course we're still going, silly!" he said, poking the boy gently on the nose as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Giggling, David looked over to the kitchen, where his brother and sisters were seated with his mother, who was glancing at him, worried.

A few more coughs erupted in the young boy, Rick giving a gentle pat on the back as he left him on a stool by the breakfast bar.

"You feeling okay, baby?" Kate asked, reaching out a hand to David's nodding forehead, "You're not so warm today."

"What happened to David?" Alexis asked, wide eyes staring at her unusually subdued little brother, "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, sweetie," Rick said, "Now, finish your pancake or I'll have to finish it for you!"

Alexis gasped, almost grinning, pulling her plate closer to her, "Never!"

"Well then you better eat it up," Rick said, taking a pinch of the freshly scrambled eggs, "Or I'll eat all your eggs too."

Narrowing her eyes, Alexis attempted her best stink eye, Rick laughing. Kate managed to fit in her disapproving look at him taking the breakfast, but was relinquished when he realized how hot they were.

"Hot! Hot!"

Rick began hopping up and down, fanning his open mouth where the eggs were burning the back of his tongue. The children laughed at him, before he finally swallowed, eyes watering.

"That'll teach you," Kate said, a grin on her face, before she turned from her sulking husband.

"Do you want a pancake, David?" she asked, holding up a plate, to which he nodded excitedly.

"Yes please, Mommy," he said, taking the plate gently from her and placing it in front of him. Like Lucas, he preferred his pancakes bare, while Alexis took after their father and drowned it in syrup.

"You know, it's nicer with syrup," Alexis said, "Right Dad?"

"You betcha, Pumpkin!"

"Nuh-UH!" David cried, "Better _without_!"

"Nope, with!"

"Without!"

"With!"

"Without!"

"With!"

"Without!"

"With!"

"Hey!"

Both heads turned to Kate, who was standing, hands on hips, spatula in hand.

"I think you should both stop arguing," she said, her eyes stern as their heads hung, "since we all know pancakes are better without syrup."

"Mommy!"

Kate grinned at Alexis' outburst, while David was quick to side with his mother.

"Told you!" he exclaimed, meeting Alexis' poked out tongue before he returned to his pancake.

Being nearly finished the first part of their breakfast, Kate spooned some eggs onto each of their plates, as well as a piece of bacon.

"You guys need to use your knives and forks now," Kate said, handing them each their own set of cutlery. Alexis had since mastered the use of a knife and fork, as she began expertly chopping her bacon. David could almost do it, but had problems cutting, often getting help from Rick.

"Daddy, can you help?" he asked, placing his knife down, "My bacon doesn't want to get chopped."

Rick laughed and nodded, heading over to cut his son's bacon, as Lucas sat beside him, having trouble holding his cutlery.

"You want some help, Lucas?" Kate asked, getting determined and forceful shake of his head. Smiling, she watched her two-year-old's tiny fingers grasp around the fork and carefully scoop up some of his eggs. It slowly made its way to his mouth, the grin across his face when he chewed causing Kate to smile. Lucas had never backed down from a challenge. Out of all the kids, he was the youngest to start walking on his own, and also was fiercely independent; much like his mother.

"How about I cut your bacon for you," Kate suggested, "then you can use the fork all by yourself?"

Nodding, Lucas continued to concentrate on his eggs, while his mother made quick work of cutting the bacon on his plate.

"Finished!" Alexis exclaimed, pushing her plate away from her and clambering off the stool, "Can I go get ready?"

Once again, she was bouncing, her excitement nearly uncontainable.

"When are we going? Is it soon?" she asked, beginning to ramble, "What should I wear? Momma, will you help me? No! I know what I want to wear!"

And with that, she was gone, running as fast as she could up the stairs, leaving Kate and Rick laughing amongst themselves.

"Someone's excited," Rick said, still smiling.

"Yes, you are!"

"Hey!"

"Oh come on," Kate said, grinning, "We all know how much you love going to the Hamptons."

"They have a really great candy shop in the village!"

Shaking her head, Kate looked back to her boys, who were both close to finishing. David's plate still had a few pieces of egg, and half of his bacon left when he pushed it away.

"I don't want anymore," he mumbled, climbing slowly from his chair and heading toward the stairs.

"Hey, David, you okay, buddy?" Rick asked, following his son to the stairs. The young boy stopped and turned, nodding at his father, before walking slowly upstairs. A few loud coughs were heard, causing Kate's brow to furrow intensely.

"Do you think we should call a doctor?" Kate asked, smiling at Lucas as he also pushed away his plate and headed upstairs.

Sighing, Rick took in the expression of his wife; she was worried, and a little tired, the two together not boding well.

"We'll see how is before we leave," Rick suggested, "and then we'll decide whether he needs one or not."

Kate nodded, her teeth biting her bottom lip gently, a mannerism Rick found adorable.

"You know how cute you look when you do that?" he said, reaching an arm out to Kate, who fell into his embrace willingly.

"Shut up, you," she murmured, leaning her head on his chest and closing her eyes, sighing.

She felt him laugh gently, his chest vibrating against her cheek. His arms tightened around her, creating a warmth she hadn't felt in so long. Working ten hour days kind of limited your personal time.

"Come on, we better get the kids ready, or we'll never leave!"

**X X X X X**

Kate gazed out the window at the snow falling lightly on the city. Her friends and co-workers told her she was mad for going to the beach in Winter. She'd explained that, yes, she was going to the Hamptons, but only because it was a getaway, not for the beach. Rick had a house over there, and they spent a lot of their spare time in it, especially when Kate had time off.

During the cooler months when they went, they would spend time inside, playing board games, watching movies, cooking ridiculously delicious treats. Rick would embrace his inner child and take them to everyone's favorite candy store practically every second day.

They were going for a week, then, once they returned, they would be spending the rest of their time decorating the house ready for Christmas. December 25 was a big day in the Castle household; everything was done big, including the decorations, the tree, the gift wrapping, everything! Each year they would have a Christmas Eve party, which they invited all their friends and family, while Christmas Day was reserved for close relations.

On the way home, they were going to stop off to choose a tree, and then pick out a new decoration for Elise's first Christmas. Kate's last night off was to be spent decorating the tree, something they had all agreed should be done as a family.

"Kate?"

Her name caused her to turn, her eyes meeting Rick's, a smile dancing on his face.

"You ready to go?" he asked, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her. His chin rested on her shoulder, her head leaning sideways onto his.

"Mmhmm," she murmured, standing up straight and turning to face her husband, his hands still curled around her body. Smiling, she let his lips brush over hers, her hands reaching up to wrap around his neck, gently caressing his hair.

"Mommy! Daddy! Come on!"

The faint voice of their eager five-year-old broke them slowly apart. Sharing a moment of laughter, they walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, arm in arm. When they arrived, they saw Alexis standing by the door, arms crossed.

"You guys are really slow!" she cried, "Let's go!"

Tugging on the door handle, she wrenched it open, smiling and skipping, pulling her wheelie suitcase along behind her.

"Don't press the elevator button yet!" Kate called, raising the handle on her own suitcase and grabbing the overnighter that held Elise's things. The baby was in the stroller, all wrapped up in a pink parka and jeans, the hood pulled up over her head with little blue eyes poking out. Grinning, she clapped and giggled excitedly, Kate raising a blanket over her to keep her warm.

"Alexis, do you have your jacket on?" Kate asked, her eyebrow raising at the little girl's blue jacket hanging in the hallway closet. David and Lucas were already wearing their matching red parkas and beanies. Kate had a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, her trench coat done up tight to keep out the cold. The sound of clicking wheels returned, as Alexis grabbed her jacket and pulled it on in a huff, zipping it up quickly.

"Beanie?"

"Mom!"

"Or you can go visit Gram while we're in the Hamptons," Kate said. The small girl's face scrunched in defeat, as she reached into the closet, pulled out the nearest beanie – surprisingly, it matched her jacket – and pulled it on her head.

"Ready?" Rick asked, tightening his own scarf and taking his suitcase, a hand resting on the small of Kate's back.

"Ready!" came the unanimous reply from all three older children, leaving Kate laughing under her breath. Alexis led the boys out of the loft, chattering away amongst each other, as Kate pushed Elise and pulled her suitcase out the door. Rick paused to lock the apartment, before following his wife and kids to the elevator.

"Can I push the button, Daddy?" Alexis asked, jumping up and down on the spot. She squealed in delight when Rick nodded, the button lighting up as her finger pushed it gently.

The elevator dinged open, as the Castle family poured inside, children chattering and Kate and Rick whispering to each other quietly. Pushing the button for the parking garage, Kate looked to David, who was standing a foot away from the rest of his siblings. He was silent, staring at the floor, moving only to cover his mouth when he coughed occasionally. He had insisted he was fine, and was extremely excited to be finally leaving, but Kate couldn't help but think he felt worse than he was saying.

"Hey, David?" she called, as the boy looked up and walked over. Taking in his appearance, she noted that his eyes weren't dilated and he wasn't sweating or shivering. His cheeks were a little pink, but other than that, he looked fine, maybe even a little tired.

"You okay, little man?" she asked, a hand on his shoulder as he nodded.

"Coughing hurts," he said, sighing, coughing once more then smiling, "but I'm okay."

Kate gave him a warm smile in return, then pulled his body into hers, feeling his small arms grasp around the top of her legs.

"Love you, Momma," he muffled through her coat, before peering up at her, blinking.

"Love you too, kiddo."

The elevator dinged, and Alexis shrieked excitedly.

"Hamptons! Hamptons! Hamptons!"

She pushed out of the elevator, David and Lucas close behind, as Kate, Rick and Elise followed quickly. They made their way over to the car, the three kids still chattering away incoherently, as Kate and Rick packed their cases in the back of the car. That morning, Kate had shoved all of her belongings into a smaller case; their car was designed to fit more people, not more luggage.

Kate unstrapped her baby girl, who was smiling brightly and fiddling with a button on her parka intently. Smiling, she strapped her in beside Lucas, and gently closed the door, as Rick finished putting the stroller in the trunk.

Climbing into the passenger side, Kate looked in the review mirror at her two oldest in the very back seat; they were chattering away excitedly and their eyes grew bigger when the engine started.

"YAY!" they cried from the back seat, causing Kate and Rick to laugh out loud. Laying his open hand across the middle of the car, Rick looked to Kate, who was smiling between him and the review mirror. She took his hand, before the cheering grew louder as they exited the building.

**X X X X X**

They had been on the road for about two hours. Elise was asleep, Lucas was looking at a picture book, while David and Alexis were playing game after game of Rock Paper Scissors. The roads were icier than usual, probably from the ridiculous amount of rain followed by snow. The roads were practically frozen solid.

"Rick, be careful," Kate murmured, on the brink of sleep herself, her early morning finally catching up to her.

"It's fine, Kate," he said, "I've driven this road hundreds of times."

"Yeah, I know, but –"

"And we just got new treads on the tyres."

"Rick, that's fine, I'm just asking that you slow down," she said, "this part is pretty tight."

"Yes, Kate, I know."

His curt answer left Kate silent for a while. Alexis, David and Lucas were all talking to one another now, quietly conversing over what they were going to do first when they arrived.

Feeling the car slide over the road, Kate turned back to Rick again.

"See what I mean?" she scolded.

"Well if you're so smart, maybe you should drive –"

"Maybe I should –"

"I can drive fine – "

"RICHARD LOOK OUT!"

**X X X X X**

**I know, I know, cliffhangers SUCK. Especially when you have to wait three months to find out what happens…**

**Don't worry, I'm not that mean (: You'll have your new chapter in the next couple of days. Sorry this one took as long, but I haven't had the time to write. **

**Besides, I told you things wouldn't stay rosy (: **

**P.S. I've never been to the Hamptons or New York, so the whole candy shop thing is made up (as far as I know) and as for the travel time, I googled. If I'm wrong, let me know and I can edit (:**

**Let me know what you think!**

**Kayla x**


	4. Chapter 4

Kate shouted. The kids screamed. Rick hit the brakes.

She remembered undoing her seatbelt and throwing herself backwards over her seat, shielding Elise and Lucas from the blow. Rick had had both hands clamped on the wheel, his eyes wide as the SUV skidded.

A car had sped out from a side street, sliding across the icy lanes, causing Rick to swerve. As he had, he'd lost control, sending the car spinning into a nearby oak tree. The passenger side slammed, hard into the trunk, the front and back ends of the car wrapping around.

Kate felt a pain in her right side and her neck, as she turned quickly to her hysterical children. Giving them a once over, she thought and hoped they weren't seriously injured. Maybe a little banged up and terrified, but other than that, they seemed to be okay. Rick was sitting at the wheel, staring and panting, his eyes glassy.

"Rick, we need to get the kids out!" she cried, giving him a nudge toward his door. She couldn't get out; the tree was in the way.

"Richard!"

"Mommy! I want to get out!" Alexis cried from the back seat, as she tugged at her seatbelt. Beside her, David was practically screaming, his face bright red and fear-stricken. Alexis' eyes were wide, and she had been crying, but she was slowly becoming consolable. Kate could see her daughter's body shaking as she tried to find a way out.

Lucas had begun clambering over the middle of the car, trying to get to Kate, his body heaving with sobs. Kate took the young boy in her arms, feeling his body collapse and shake into hers.

"It's okay, baby," she said, her voice quivering as well. Elise was in her car seat, and Kate could hear her crying. She hoped to god her baby girl was okay.

"Momma, I wanna get out!" Lucas cried, as Kate looked to Rick, who was beginning to move. The shock had begun to wear off, and he was quickly out of the car. Lucas clambered after him, the two-year-old almost throwing himself at his father in an effort to escape. As Kate followed, she felt the pain from the injuries she had sustained melt away. Right now, she had to rescue her kids.

Rick wrenched open the back door, and began to unfasten Elise, pulling her out and into his arms. Once she was out, Kate climbed in, forcing herself into the very back seat. She unclipped Alexis and sent her out, the five-year-old now silent. Kate could still see the fear in her eyes as she climbed out, seeking refuge in the side of her father.

David was the opposite; he was screaming and reaching for his mother, stumbling out of his seat and into her arms.

"Oh, baby, it's going to be okay," she said, pulling him close to her body then getting out of the disfigured car. Lucas ran to his mother's side the instant she was out, burying himself inside her coat.

"Guys, we need to get off the road," Rick urged, pulling Alexis and urging Kate and the boys to the curb. Sitting the kids down, Kate was able to check the extent of their injuries, if they had any. She was more focused on the boys; they had both been sitting on the passenger's side of the car, like Kate.

David had a bump on the side of his head, where Kate figured he'd hit the window when the car connected with the tree. His right arm was also the victim of instant bruising, but he was able to move it without pain, much to Kate's relief.

Rick was checking Elise, who appeared fine; her cries were of fear rather than pain. Alexis said she was okay, having only a burn on her shoulder from the seatbelt wrenching over her skin. Other than that, she was okay, just in shock.

Lucas sat on the curb, the only one to still be screaming. Kate noticed he was nursing his right arm, holding it gingerly.

Kate heard sirens approaching, and was thankful. Rick had gone to check on the driver of the other car, but he was fine, and fairly grumpy at the fact he had to 'deal with this'.

"Lucas, honey," Kate said, kneeling beside her crying boy, "where does your arm hurt?"

Shuddering and sniffing, Lucas pointed to his elbow. Kate couldn't tell what had happened to it, as his jacket was fairly thick. It might have been broken, but she wasn't sure.

All eyes turned to the road, as the ambulances and police cars arrived, the paramedics rushing to the children on the sidewalk.

"Ma'am, could you tell us what happened," one of the policemen asked, as Kate watched her children be attended to.

"Uh," Kate thought, trying to remember exactly what happened, "we were driving and, uh, a car pulled out from…from over there…we skidded and then hit – hit the tree."

The memory was sinking in, as was the pain, as Kate felt herself drop onto the ground. There was a mist fogging her vision, her hands reaching up to massage her temples. She squeezed her eyes shut, then realized someone was talking to her.

"Ma'am, we need to get you to a paramedic," said the officer, Kate shaking her head.

"Not until the kids are okay," she demanded, as she attempted to stand up. A pain shot through her right leg, causing her to fall again and let out a grunt.

"Ma'am, it's important you do as we ask," came the voice of a paramedic, who was pushing a gurney toward her, "your leg may very well be broken."

"But, the kids –"

"They're fine," he assured, with a smile, "your husband is with them, and your little redhead is making friends with the medics."

Kate had to smile at the predictability of her daughter; of course she'd be asking questions about _everything_.

Allowing the police officer and the paramedic to help her up, Kate soon found herself moving toward the ambulance. She bit her lip at the sight of Rick, whose eyes widened significantly.

"Kate!"

Rushing over, he was quick to pull her hand into his own, the other cupping her cheek. Her free hand lay on top of his on her face, allowing herself to lean forward and kiss him gently. Pulling away, she could see the tears in his eyes. And, judging by the sudden wet she felt on her face, she was crying too.

"I'm okay, Rick," she whispered, looking past him to Alexis, who was sitting beside David, clinging to his hand. The young boy was still worried, you could see it in his eyes, but he wasn't crying anymore. One of the medics was fastening a bandage around his wrist, and Kate had to grin with pride at the strength of her kids.

The back of the other ambulance held a crying Lucas, along with two more doctors.

"Lucas!" she called, as she tried to get up, but was soon pushed back down.

"Ma'am –"

"Let me go see my son!" she demanded, her eyes fierce.

Nodding, the older, grey-haired medic pushed her toward the other ambulance, as Lucas' eyes clung to Kate's.

"Is he okay?" Kate asked Rick, who was still beside her, "And where's Elise?"

"Elise is with one of the medics," Rick said, "she's okay. And Lucas…"

Kate noticed Lucas was without his sweater and parka, wearing only a t-shirt. A bandage was being wrapped tightly around his arm, before it was fastened in a sling.

"He'd dislocated his elbow in the collision," explained his attending doctor, "there's no bone damage, but the tendons and ligaments surrounding have suffered some trauma. We'll know just how much when we get him to the hospital."

Lucas' eyes were pleading, as he inched forward toward his mother. Rick reached forward and lifted him out of the ambulance, letting him drape, exhausted, over his shoulder.

"Ma'am, we're going to put you in the ambulance," explained the older medic from earlier, "and your youngest son will be joining you, while your daughters and other little boy will ride in –"

"No! They can't be alone! Let me –"

"Kate," Rick said, a hand resting on her shoulder, as she stopped, "its okay, I'll be with them."

Hesitantly, she nodded and sighed back into her place, her eyes brimming as she looked to her children in the other ambulance. Alexis' blue eyes were wider than she'd ever seen them, her arms clutching her brother tightly. David was looking around fearfully, his eyes glancing between his sister, his brother and his parents.

Feeling a kiss on her forehead, she looked back to a worried Rick, who was handed an unusually silent Elise.

"I'll see you soon, Kate," Rick said, squeezing her hand, as she watched him walk toward their other ambulance, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds.

She watched the arms of Alexis and David wrap tightly around Rick's thighs, as a weight leaned on her side.

"Hey sweetie," Kate soothed, pulling her teary two-year-old into a tight hug.

"Momma, it hurts," he whispered between sobs, his face buried in the lengths of Kate's hair, as she pulled him closer amongst her own falling tears.

"I know baby," she said, barely audible, as they paramedics loaded the gurney into the ambulance.

Rick, Alexis, David and Elise watched as Kate and Lucas were pushed inside, each of their eyes identically set with worry, fear and hope.

"You gonna wave bye-bye?" Kate asked, leaning to kiss her boy on the head, his eyes looking up at his father and siblings. The hand that lay on his mother's lifted up and gave a weak wave, receiving a sad wave in return before the doors were closed.

Lucas jumped at the sound of the sirens, his good arm curling tighter around Kate, who was gently stroking his dark brown hair. She could feel the adrenaline wearing off, pain shooting through her leg whenever she wriggled her toes and her side when she breathed heavily.

"Will we see them soon?" Lucas whispered, his eyes still staring at the doors, as if he were expecting his family to burst through at any moment. Kate could hear the painkillers taking effect on him. His voice was slurred and drowsy, and his tears lessening as his body became limp at her side.

"Yes, baby," she said, leaning her own head back, yet still holding him close, "very soon."

**X X X X X**

Four hours and three arguments with the nurses later, Kate sat in a wheelchair, headed to the children's ward. Rick had had some success, getting all four of the kids in the same room together. When the nurse left her, she thanked her quietly before looking at her children, a warmth in her chest. Lucas sat in the middle, the main occupant of the bed, his arm secured in a blue, fabric sling. To his left was David, who had a patch on his shoulder and a bandage still adorning his wrist. Alexis sat on the other side, with a matching patch on her shoulder as well, her hands clasping a ratty looking book. Her voice was playing out through the room, as she read the words aloud for her brothers.

Kate couldn't say she was acknowledging the words Alexis was reading; she was choked by the image, and was barely noticing anything else.

"Kate."

Rick's presence at her side cause her to look up, Elise asleep in his arms. Reaching up, she took the sleeping eight-month-old from her husband and held her as close as possible. The weight of today was beginning to weigh down on both of the adults. They could very nearly have had more serious injuries to deal with, not to mention the more dire consequences. Shaking her head, Kate attempted to dispel the thoughts from her head. Her children were safe, alive and healthy. They would be fine.

It had grown oddly silent in the room, causing Kate's head to look up from a sleeping Elise, to the three older kids on the hospital bed. Alexis had gently closed the book, and she and David were beginning to clamber down from the bed. They rushed over to Kate, careful to avoid her suspended leg, and clamped their arms firmly around their mother's waist.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Alexis mumbled into Kate's side, as both pairs of bright blue eyes stared right at her. Feeling the tears welling in her eyes, Kate was taken over by the worry in each of their expressions; that was how _she_ was supposed to look at _them_, not the other way around.

"Oh baby," Kate whispered, stroking the red hair of her daughter off of her face, "I'm fine."

"What happened to your leg?" David asked, "Is it broken like Lucas's elbow?"

Kate's head snapped up to look at Lucas, then over to Rick.

"His elbow is broken?" She exclaimed, her mouth ajar in anxiety, disbelief and anger.

Rick lurched forward to take David's hand.

"David, buddy, why don't you and Lex go sit with Lucas?" he suggested, "while I talk to Mommy?"

Grudgingly, Alexis nodded, while David stood clinging to Kate's hand, shaking his head adamantly.

"David, come on!" Alexis muttered, pulling her younger brother's hand. He followed crankily, his steps exaggerated and dramatic.

"Rick, are they all okay?" Kate asked worriedly, as she was pushed closer to the chair Rick had been sitting on a moment ago. He left Elise in his wife's arms, before sitting opposite her; Rick almost couldn't continue, Kate's expression full of apprehension.

"Lucas got it the worst," Rick began, "his elbow was dislocated in the crash, and he's strained some of the surrounding ligaments pretty badly. There's a hell of a lot of soft tissue damage too, but other than that, it's going to take a while to heal."

Kate sighed. She had been hoping it was just a bad case of bruising, like David's, but this was worse for poor Lucas. He being the most like Kate, Lucas didn't like to admit when he was in any pain if he could hide it. His strength was admired among his family, but sometimes Kate wished he weren't so stubborn.

"David's arm is a little battered, and the doctor's suspect a mild concussion," Rick explained, watching his wife's eyes spill over, but she maintained her composure aside from the tears, "and both of the girls are fine, aside from Lex's belt burn."

Giving a small nod, Kate looked to her quietly conversing children, her eyes fixated on their animated mannerisms. Alexis was laughing, as David demonstrated something, while Lucas sat in the middle, smiling. True, Kate and Rick always had reasons to be proud of the kids. They were all smart, were polite and well-behaved in public, were kind to strangers and were extremely empathetic towards one another.

But, Kate had never, until now, had a moment where she could feel the pride overflowing like it had today.

**X X X X X**

**Wow, I'm so incredibly sorry for making you wait this long! Hopefully, you don't all eat me, and I will survive to continue (:**

**Like I said in **_**The Little Things**_** (if you read that too), I've been having some intense technical issues, and am currently on a friend's computer. So, sorry it's short, this is all I can manage for now. I promise that I will have a new chapter up in the next couple of days once my computer is fixed (:**

**Kayla x**


	5. Chapter 5

**I do apologize; the computer still hates me. See the detail A/N at the end for any info, or review for any questions (:**

**X X X X X**

"Mr. Castle?"

The voice of a doctor at the door caused all five alert pairs of eyes to look up. Elise was still sound asleep in Kate's arms.

Standing slowly, Rick gave his wide's hand a quick squeeze, ruffling David's hair on his way past, and began to head out of the room. The solemn look on the doctor's face seemed to go unnoticed by the children, who continued chatting to themselves once he was out the door. The expression, however, lingered in Kate's mind for a moment longer than was probably necessary.

She'd seen a look similar to that before; it was the one her mother used when she knew a case was lost. It was the look Rick had when he'd found out Alexis broke her arm when she was 3. It was the look that Kate knew would define this holiday season.

"Mommy?"

Alexis' quiet voice turned Kate's head, as the worried five-year-old gazed up at her sleepily.

"You okay, sweetie?" Kate asked, reaching out to place a hand on her daughter's. She could feel it shaking gently under hers, and, when she gazed into those beautiful blue eyes, she could see tears welling.

"Oh, honey," was all Kate could murmur, as she pulled the little girl into her. Elise was still snoozing on Kate's right side, giving Alexis room to curl up on her left, burying her sobs into her mother's shoulder.

She could tell the shock was finally sinking in for the kids; David was fiddling anxiously with the blankets on the bed and the buttons on his jacket. Lucas would probably have been inconsolable too, but he was knocked out on pain medication. Kate felt her shoulder grow damp, as her daughter's sobs continued.

"We're all okay, baby," Kate cooed, stroking Alexis' shoulder, "Okay? Everyone is fine."

"I-i-it was s-so sc-sc-scary, Mommy," the young redhead sobbed, her arms curling tighter around her mother. If Kate had a choice, in this moment, she would never let her daughter go again. She would pull her closer, envelop her in her arms. She would keep Elise sleeping in her side, and pull her boys right up to her. She would never let go.

"Momma, where's Daddy?" came the wavering voice of David, who sat expectantly on the bed. He didn't blink, his blue eyes wide and glassy, not moving from his mother.

"Daddy's outside talking to the doctor," Kate explained, the sound of her own voice shocking her. It was raspy and faint; as if she had spent most of the afternoon crying. True, there had been some tears, but she hadn't realized they had been this substantial.

"When will he be back?" asked the young boy again, inching closer to the bed's edge, "Will he be back soon?"

Simply nodding, Kate gave way to her quivering bottom lip, and joined the quiet sobbing of her daughter.

**X X X X X**

"So, what are we looking at, Doc?" Rick asked, joining the doctor in the hall. He attempted to lighten the mood, as his companion had seemed anxious and his expression grave.

However, once he began to speak, Rick figured that was just an occupational hazard of his job; looking sad and solemn all the time.

"Thankfully, your family is fine," he said, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

Sighing in relief, Rick fell back against the wall, rubbing his eyes in the palms of his hands. It had been a long afternoon; Lucas had had complications, as had Kate – especially Kate – and they were keeping a close eye on David and Elise. So far, Alexis and Rick seemed to be the only ones unscathed.

"However," the doctor continued, causing Rick to stiffen, "there are some follow-ups, such as redressing wounds and medication that you will have to adhere to."

Nodding, Rick took the sheet of paper that was being held out to him. Detailed on it was the care schedule of his injured family, his eyes widening at the extensive list.

"Your eldest daughter is fine," explained the doctor, "she only needs her burn redressed with ointment and bandage morning and night. If she's having problems with pain, she is able to take regular over-the-counter pain medication. Your youngest daughter is also injury free, however keep watch of any abnormalities –"

"Abnormalities, like what?"

A stern look from the doctor told Rick not to interrupt; it was a force of habit on his part.

"Things like being oddly lethargic, trouble with sleeping, eating or breathing, as well as more serious things, like bruising or bleeding. At this point, she seems fine."

Rick was able to sigh again, the relief of two out the five injured being okay settling in. However, he still had to hear about David, Lucas and Kate's conditions. He hoped they were not too serious.

"Lucas' elbow will give him some pain, for which we've issued medication," continued the doctor, "and we've gotten in contact with a doctor in the city, who will be taking over both his and your wife's care when you go home. Your wife is much the same, medication for the pain, and otherwise, have them keep their injuries as still as possible."

He'd heard talk of surgery on Kate's leg, and had prayed she wouldn't need it. From what the doctor was saying, she may not, but Rick was too tired to push the point tonight. Once they returned to the city, they would seek advice then.

"As for David, his bruising should begin to heal in the next few days, but he needs to be watched throughout the night," the doctor explained, "every two hours or so, just to ensure the concussion isn't more serious."

A beeping noise left the doctor peering at the pager on his belt, before he gave a quick smile to Rick.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to head over to a consultation," he began, before he pulled a card from his pocket, "should you have any questions, please, don't hesitate to call."

Nodding, Rick watched the doctor walk briskly toward the elevator, before he turned and headed into the room.

He was taken aback at the sight; one son was fast asleep, although he looked far from peaceful. The other was sitting nervously, gazing at his sobbing mother and older sister. Rick moved quickly over to the bed, scooping up a nervous David and allowing the small boy to curl up tighter in his arms.

Kate looked up at the movement in the room, and she smiled weakly at her husband. Alexis was calming in her arms, as she had begun to be taken over by sleep.

"What did the doctor say?" Kate whispered, leaning her head on Alexis' red locks and re-adjusting Elise on her left.

Sighing, Rick took his seat beside her, resting his face in her hair, taking in her scent like his life depended on it. Today, when that car had spun out of control, he had seriously wondered whether he'd ever be able to do this again.

"We're all okay," he whispered, the little boy on his hip shuffling slightly, his eyes now closed.

"Can we go home?" Alexis whispered, almost inaudible, her eyes still closed against Kate's shoulder.

Rick smiled and let a hand wander over his daughter's hair, leaving a kiss in its wake.

"Yeah, sweetie," Rick said, "we can go home."

**X X X X X**

The gentle sound of the waves crashing on the sand was causing Kate's eyes to flutter. They had finally arrived at the beach house, and, after taking their four sleeping children to bed, they were sitting on their balcony. Kate shivered, before feeling the warm, soft hands of her husband on her shoulders.

"Hey…" he murmured, taking a seat beside her, wrapping the blanket he'd acquired around them. She didn't reply, but instead, leaned into his side, letting her head lull on his shoulder and her eyes drift shut. Kate had had enough pain killers to last her a lifetime, and they were beginning to kick in. Her leg, although not broken, was still in fairly bad shape.

She hadn't noticed at the time, but, the car had concaved enough to leave a fairly large hole just above her kneecap. The ligaments, muscle and tissue around it had all been injured, but not enough to immediately impede her mobility. Her leg was heavily bandaged, and was to be in a full-length brace throughout the day, but now, she was glad to say the bulky thing was off.

Lucas had woken briefly when they arrived home, restless and sore, but Rick had taken care of the young boy, while Kate fed Elise before she fell asleep. Her baby girl was tired, and was barely awake long enough to make it to her crib. Alexis and David had each stumbled to their rooms themselves, falling over onto their pillows fully clothed. Rick had made quick work of removing their shoes and tucking them in, before joining an equally exhausted Kate.

She wanted to curl up; she wasn't entirely fussed with where, so long as Rick was beside her. He was her warmth, and she was as drained mentally as she was physically. Somehow, she knew he felt the same.

"Bedtime?" he murmured, pulling her closer, if that were at all possible. She was unsure at first whether he'd felt her incredibly light nod, but knew he had once he began to stand. Opening her eyes and gazing straight into his, she saw for the first time just how ragged he looked.

"You look like hell," Kate rasped, grinning, as she took his outstretched hands. Smirking, he gently helped her to her feet, one hand tightly around her waist, the other in her hand.

"You good?" Rick asked, looking worryingly to her. Smiling, she nodded softly, their eyes remaining on each other's a moment longer than usual. Slowly, she leaned forward, half resting, half falling onto Rick's chest, her lips crashing into his. Kate felt a new energy as his mouth caressed hers lightly, before becoming heavier.

In a moment of weakness, she shifted her weight to her other leg, before dropping and crying out.

"Shit!"

Feeling the tears fall spontaneously, she held a hand to her knee, sobbing and panting. Kate could barely feel Rick's hands on her shoulders, nor hear his voice, as she witnessed the world turn white, then black.

She wasn't sure how long it lasted, but when her eyes popped open again, Kate found herself on their bed, with Rick gazing at her intently from across the room. His face wore anxiety and anguish, while Kate's was filled with pain and confusion.

"Rick, why are you looking at me like that?" she asked quietly, "I'm not a freakshow."

He didn't speak. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, and his whole body was trembling. Slowly, he began to make his way over to Kate, sitting gently beside her. His face landed in his palms, and she watched his shoulders heave. It was a shock for her; yeah, she'd seen him cry before, but never like this. At least when he spoke between tears, you could understand him, unlike the kids.

"It's my fault," he muttered, shaking his head and staring into the distance vaguely.

Kate peered at him, both confused and concerned, "What is?"

"This!"

He sat up and looked to her leg, which was elevated on some pillows, then back up to her face. She could see the toll of the afternoon finally landing on him. He'd had initial shock, and then marched on to be the hero. And thank god he had, or else Kate may not have been able to deal with it all on her own.

"Richard Castle, this is _not_ your fault –"

"Really, Kate?" he exclaimed, standing in anger, "Because I distinctly remember you telling me to drive carefully. And I didn't listen, and look at what happened…"

"You listen to me," Kate began, raising a finger and putting on her 'mama bear' voice, as Rick had once called it, "if that other car hadn't been there, we would have spent the afternoon here, having a holiday like a regular family. _He_ is the one that screwed up, not you."

"Kate!" Rick exclaimed, his eyes wide and full of disbelief, "Your leg is in a brace, Lucas' arm is in a sling and there's a possibility that David might not wake up!"

"Richard, don't you dare say that –"

"But it's true, Kate!"

"Rick!"

"No, don't even try –"

"Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Richard!"

He was moving quickly out of the room, leaving his teary wife behind. He knew it was wrong, but he needed some space, some air, room to breathe. He poked his head into David's room, double-checking he was still breathing. A few chesty coughs from the flu he was fighting told Rick he was in fact okay. He checked on each of the kids, stopping when he got to Alexis' room.

"Hey, sweetie, what are you still doing up?"

The little redhead looked sleepily up to her father, before slowly climbing out of bed. She walked slowly toward Rick, before she collapsed against his thighs, eyes shut.

"Couldn't sleep," she muffled, before she was lifted up onto her father's hip. He knew he should be letting her sleep, but he grabbed her coat and boots from where he'd left them and headed downstairs.

"Daddy, where are we going?" Alexis asked, more alert now, as Rick helped her put boots on her feet.

Holding out her coat, she took it, as she watched Rick put on shoes and a jacket of his own. She stood once she was dressed, then followed her father outside.

Shivering, Alexis clung to Rick's arm, as he led her along the beach. She breathed in the cold, ocean air, and felt herself begin to skip gently across the beach.

"Daddy, is Mommy okay?" Alexis asked, looking expectantly up at her father. It was difficult for her to see in the dark, but the moonlight glinted off his eyes as he turned to face her.

"Yeah, sweetie," he said, "she'll be fine."

Alexis nodded, looking back to her feet as she slowed to a walk. Rick paused beside her, his gaze reaching out over the vast dark that was the ocean. Ever since she was a little girl, Alexis had loved the seaside. You could see everything for miles, but at the same time, there was so much you couldn't see. Like all the creatures under the water, all the sand crabs under the ground, all the weird little things you could find at the rock pools.

"Hey, Daddy?"

"Yeah, pumpkin?"

"You know, it wasn't your fault."

**X X X X X**

It was now a week since the accident. Rick had driven them all back to New York City after only a few days in the Hamptons, rather than the week they had been intent on. With the condition of Kate and Lucas in mind, they decided it would be best to get a jump start on the Christmas celebrations, so as to finish them before Santa arrived.

Kate had stayed home with Elise, while Rick had taken Alexis and the boys to pick out a Christmas tree. The festive season was always a highlight in the Castle household, with Rick's occasionally annoying habit of throwing parties and family celebrations to boot.

It was just days until the SoHo loft would be filled with their friends and family at their annual Christmas gathering, and Kate was frantic. Rick had insisted it would all be fine, but that didn't stop her from worrying. Lucas was still in a sling, and herself on crutches; she had no idea how she was going to play hostess.

_Forget hostess, what about the cooking?_

Kate had put Elise down for a nap, and was now rushing about the kitchen as best she could. She'd sent a friend out for the groceries about an hour ago, and was planning what to cook when said friend arrived home.

"Girl, it's a good thing your husband is rich," came a voice from the doorway, "cos this shopping bill ain't pretty!"

Smiling, Kate hobbled over to relieve the woman of some of the groceries – well, tried, anyway.

"No, cripple, I got it –"

"Lanie, don't be mean!"

"Well don't be naughty!" Lanie exclaimed, "You _know_ you're not meant to be walking around on that thing!"

Kate huffed, "You know, sometimes I hate that you're a medical professional."

Flashing a cheeky grin, Lanie placed all of the groceries on the kitchen island and sighed. She knew the gathering was a big one – any Castle function was – but really, did they need this much?

"Kate, are you sure this isn't too much?" Lanie said, Kate moving around to put some things away. She paused and raised an eyebrow; she wasn't being serious, was she?

"You're kidding, right?"

"This is _way_ more than last year!"

"Cos you're a Castle Christmas Party veteran!"

"I am!"

Smirking, Kate had to shake her head. It was true, Lanie had been her friend for years, before she even met Rick. The two friends had met on the party scene when they were both 21, and had remained close. Lanie served as a reminder of the unmarried life, something Kate barely got to experience now with four children aged five and under. Still, she was hoping her current boyfriend, a Detective she'd met at work, was going to be the one. Hell, she talked about him often enough!

"This is just right," Kate assured, pulling open the freezer and frowning. There was _no_ space, but still plenty of things to go in. She did manage to shove the rest of the frozen goods inside, while Lanie made quick work of putting away the alcohol.

"Trust you to remember exactly where my liquor cabinet is," Kate scoffed, hiding the last of the goodies – a selection of chocolates and candy for the kids – in a high cupboard.

"Honey, I remember where _everyone's_ alcohol is stored," Lanie explained, "It's an occupational hazard of being me."

Kate threw her head back and laughed, shaking her head as Lanie glared.

The sound of loud laughter from outside caught their attention, before the front door clicked open, and Alexis came bounding in.

"Momma, look at the tree!" she cried, pointing and jumping, as David and Lucas came in, giggling, "It's _huuuuuuuge_!"

Rick came in amongst gaping mouths, as the mass of pine needles was pulled into the living room.

"Honey, are you sure that's going to fit?" Kate asked, moving carefully around the side of the bench and gazing in awe.

"Yeah-huh," David said, nodding excitedly, "Daddy measured!"

"Yup, perfect fit!" Alexis agreed, running over to the pile of boxes that housed the Christmas decorations. She stopped halfway when she saw her mother's company.

"Lanie!"

The little redhead was immediately throwing herself at Kate's friend, all three adults laughing quietly. Out of all of their friends, Alexis loved Lanie.

"Hey, kiddo," Lanie replied, hugging the young girl.

Rick had successfully managed to pull the tree all the way to the corner, with some loud cheering from David and Lucas, which had Kate shushing them all.

"You guys!" she cried, "Your baby sister is still asleep in the next room!"

Crying played out from the baby monitor on the dining table, which left Kate rolling her eyes and sighing.

"Not anymore," Lanie said, laughing gently. She held a hand out as Kate began to move, and took a step forward herself.

"Don't worry, I'll get her," she said, giving Alexis a kiss on the forehead and heading for the hallway.

"Thank you, Lanie!" Kate called out, as she watched Rick pull the tree up carefully. Alexis had since run over, and was now helping her father and David push it upright. Lucas pouted when he was told to sit back, but was immediately rejuvenated when the tree was standing.

"Wow," Kate breathed, as she followed the pine all the way up to where it was inches from the roof.

"Righto kids, who's ready for some of Mom's hot chocolate?" Rick exclaimed, resulting in cheers of excitement and eager racing to the kitchen.

"And Christmas cookies?" David asked excitedly, bouncing as he reached his seat, grinning at his mother.

"Only the best kind," Kate began, as she turned to the oven behind her. It had been off for some time, but it was keeping the freshly baked shortbread cookies warm until her family returned.

Alexis gasped, "Homemade!"

"Gram's gonna be cranky!" David exclaimed, as Alexis looked to him and nodded.

"And why is that, David?" Kate asked, as she passed a stack of plates to Rick. He not only took the plates, but stole a quick kiss, that left her blushing, before he turned with a grin to the kids.

David sighed, annoyed, rolling his eyes in a way he could only have learned from his mother.

"_Because_," he said, "we're gonna eat all the cookies!"

Lanie's presence across the room hadn't been noticed until she spoke in that moment, Elise in her arms.

"Did someone say cookies?"

**X X X X X**

**I'm so very sorry this took as long! My computer is still having issues, but I should have it back by tomorrow, and am working to write as many chapters of this as humanly possible. I will be updating right through Christmas, including a special Christmas Day post, which I'm yet to write, but I hope you'll like it (:**

**Also, I figured it was time to introduce some other much-loved characters, one of which was Lanie (: **

**You'll have to wait until the Christmas Party (which I **_**will**_** be writing) to see which other pals from the 12****th**** are around (:**

**Merry Christmas!**

**Kayla x**


	6. Chapter 6

**Right, I'm determined and on a roll!**

**X X X X X**

Kate found herself sitting at the foot of the Christmas tree, bouncing Elise on her lap as she 'supervised' the decorating.

Lanie was at the coffee table, passing baubles to the kids, while Rick helped them reach the heights of the tree. Lucas was now a permanent attachment to his father's shoulders.

"Hey, David," Kate called, pointing to a bare spot on the tree, "I think we need one over here."

He clambered excitedly toward Lanie, taking the bright red ornament from her hands with a smile, before bounding over to his mother. Looking at the space, he squinted, scratching his chin. Kate had to giggle; as learnt from his father, Christmas-tree-decorating was a serious business.

Finally, he put it carefully over the branches, stepping back to admire his work.

"Perfect," Kate murmured, David positively beaming before he turned for more baubles. They had spent a good hour on the tree so far, and it was nearly finished.

Elise squealed excitedly, as her little hands batted a shining silver ornament within her reach. The lights glinted off of its surface, and reflected around the immediate area. The baby girl giggled, as she turned to look at her Mom.

"You like that one, huh?" Kate cooed, adjusting the eight-month-old on her lap so she could reach.

Elise looked between the bauble and her mother, her grin wider than ever. For Kate, it was surreal to think that this was Elise's first Christmas. She remembered each of her kids' first Christmases with ease.

Alexis had only been two months old for Christmas 2006. She'd loved to play with the tinsel on the tree, and Kate distinctly remembered she preferred the paper _after _it had been ripped off the presents. Rick had reasoned that it made noise once it was off, and therefore was way cooler.

David had arrived on New Year's Eve of 2007; Kate had hoped he'd be born just in time for Christmas, but there had been no such luck. It did mean that, when it got around to his first visit from Santa Claus, he was old enough to appreciate it. He was able to help his big sister decorate the tree and put up all the other things around the house. He'd helped his mother bake the cookies for Santa, picked out all nine carrots for the reindeer with Alexis and built a snowman in Central Park with Rick.

Lucas was much the same; at Christmas 2009, he was only a little older than Elise was now. She remembered the grin on his face when he got to put the angel on the top of the tree like it was yesterday. Although, the tree was a bit smaller that year…

Even Rick, who was over 6', would have to stand on a ladder to get the angel on this year. Or, he could put one of the kids on his shoulders, but Kate doubted even they would reach.

"Alright, it's time for…"

Rick faded out, as he pulled the silver angel out of its box. Before he could finish the sentence, there were gasps of excitement from each of the children, who simply stood and watched. Looking to the top of the tree, Rick frowned; he couldn't reach.

Kate sat on the ground, smirking along with Lanie, as her husband circled the tree, narrowly missing her braced leg.

"Whoa! Hey! Watch it, buddy!" she exclaimed, glaring at an apologetic Rick, shaking her head.

"Daddy, if you stand on Mommy's leg, she'll say naughty words again," Alexis said, giggling. Rick and Lanie burst into laughter, as Kate looked sideways at her daughter, who was grinning mischievously

"That was one time!" Kate cried, "And I said sorry."

"It was funny," David giggled, "you got in trouble off Daddy!"

Lanie smirked loudly, before laughing, Kate shooting her a glare as she laughed along with her.

"Maybe he should watch where he's going…" Kate muttered to herself, as she handed Elise to a grinning Rick, and then slowly stood. Her crutches were mere inches away, allowing her to reach out and grab them without having to move far.

"What are you doing?" Rick asked incredulously, his expression extremely confused.

Kate raised an eyebrow, "Do you want to eat tonight?"

With a smirk, she headed to the kitchen, leaving Rick staring after her, grinning.

"Daddy, can we put the top on the tree now?" Alexis asked, tugging on his free hand, his eyes jerking from his wife to his oldest daughter.

"Yeah, can we?" David pleaded, pulling on his sister's outside arm. Alexis frowned and swatted his hold away, grabbing her father's arm with both hands.

"I don't think you guys are gonna reach," Lanie said, looking up at the very top of the tree. Maybe if Rick stood on a chair…

**X X X X X**

The clock read 4:55pm. The kids were dressed in their red and green, helping Rick put the last of the presents under the tree. In just under five minutes, people would start arriving for the annual Castle Christmas Party. Straightening a stray cookie and adjusting the petal of a poinsettia, Kate sighed in content at her handiwork.

All of the cooking was done, all the decorations were up and she'd wrapped all the presents (with the ones from Santa still stashed in her closet). A call from her brother earlier had set her anticipation sky-high, with him insisting he had 'big news'.

The buzz of the door startled Kate, as Alexis ran excitably to the door and yanked it open.

"It's Kevin and Jenny and Riley!" she exclaimed, clamping a hug around the legs of Kevin Ryan.

"Hey, Alexis," he grinned, bending down and collecting the young girl up in his arms. Jenny gave her arm a small squeeze before heading over to the kitchen. Rick was headed over to Kevin to shake his hand and also relieve him of Alexis. Jenny was making a beeline for Kate with her nine-month-old son, Riley.

"Merry Christmas, Kate!" Jenny said happily, Kate replying with her own Christmas wishes and a hug.

"Hey, Riley, you're getting big!" Kate exclaimed, as she left a kiss on the young boy's cheek.

Jenny gave a great smile to her son, who was fiddling intently with the flashing brooch on his shirt. Kate giggled and shook her head, as Rick and Kevin joined them, Alexis in tow and chatting away.

"…And even Daddy couldn't reach!"

The men laughed, as they greeted each other's wives before another buzzing caused them to turn.

"Are we early?" Jenny asked, looking around the empty loft, as Kate shook her head.

The loud running of David and Lucas ended as the door swung open, and there were cries of excitement as Jim and Johanna Beckett walked in the room. Kate gave a wave to their parents, her father adorned with a bag that was practically overflowing. He was quick to move them under the tree, before Jenny gasped.

"Kevin, we left the presents in the car!" she cried, annoyed, sighing. Rolling his eyes, he chuckled, gave her a peck on the lips and then proceeded out of the apartment. Kate joined her in a quick head shake, before she headed over to the living room with a smile.

As she looked around, she saw Rick enter the living room from the study, holding a now awake but still sleepy looking Elise. Smiling, she pointed to Jenny and Riley, receiving a nod from her husband. She watched the smile immediately erupt on her baby girl's face when she saw Riley. There were very close in age, and often spent play dates together.

It was quite adorable; both the babies had spoken 'Mom' and 'Dad' as their first words, but both parents swore after that it was each other's names. Elise managed 'Rile' while Riley usually just called her 'Lise'.

Lucas and David were gawking at the growing number of gifts under the tree, as well as occasionally helping their grandparents unpack everything. Alexis was over with Jenny and the babies, while Rick was heading over to the door _again_.

This time, at least half of the party arrived all at once. Lanie was there, with her boyfriend on her arm, someone whom Kate and Rick were yet to meet. Madison, a friend of Kate's from high school was also at the door, dragging her own partner of at least a year behind her, smiling.

She beelined for Kate, who was grinning and preparing for a hug, when the blonde woman stopped, mouth ajar.

"Kate, what happened!" she cried, pointing at her braced leg. It had definitely been difficult trying to hide it, not that she was aiming to, but she hoped it wouldn't draw attention.

"Madi, I called you," Kate said, a grin still playing on her lips as her friend examined the brace once again, moving closer to circle her.

"This is seriously from the car accident?" Madi reiterated, "Because you told me there were no serious injuries!"

"It's not serious!" Kate exclaimed, "It just looks like it is."

"I bet your husband would have a different line on that one –"

"Don't talk to him about it," Kate said quietly, silencing the usually exuberant Madi with her somber tone, "he's still not over blaming himself."

Simply nodding, Madi stepped forward for the hug she was expecting moments ago, as well as allowing Justin, her boyfriend, to pass along his niceties.

Kate noticed there was quite the crowd in the living room now. While she'd been speaking to Madi, those who had arrived with her were filing in, and now there were more at the door.

Amongst the few that had arrived earlier, Kate smiled when she saw Lizzie.

"Liz!" she called, as the pregnant brunette turned at the sound of her name before rushing – or waddling – over.

"Hey Katie!" she exclaimed, her warm smile flashing as bright as ever, just the way Kate had always envied. Lizzie was quick to grab her big sister and drag her into an enveloping hug, squeezing her tight. The last time they'd spoke was just after the accident, but the last time they'd seen each other was at least a month ago.

"You look so happy!" Kate gushed, her grin uncontainable as Lizzie pulled back, nodding.

"Katie, you have no idea!" she exclaimed, beaming, "But I'll tell you about it tomorrow; we're at Andy's place, right?"

"I thought it was at Mom and Dad's?"

"No, I'm pretty sure it's – wait, no, yeah, it's at Mom and Dad's."

Kate laughed as Lizzie pouted, before exchanging another hug.

"I'll talk later, you have guests," Lizzie explained, moving back to join her husband, Reid, who was watching their young sun very closely.

A few of Alexis' friends had now arrived, each with younger siblings, meaning all of her children had someone to keep them occupied.

Paige, Kelsey and Taylor, all friends in Alexis class, were all sitting on the couch with the young redhead, while their parents mingled, helping themselves to the snacks Kate had put out. Rose, another friend of Kate's from high school was there with her four children, while she swore she'd seen Martha, Rick's mother, walk in at one point.

They were still waiting on Roy and Evelyn Montgomery; they were both friends of Rick, and Roy was a permanent fixture on poker nights. From the shrieks by the door, Kate could guess the Mayor, affectionately known as Bob, had arrived.

Other than that, the only other face Kate couldn't see was her brother's. He was supposed to turn up with 'big news'.

Other than that, the loft was getting particularly noisy, now that all the children were here. They were all gaping at the still growing pile of presents under the tree. The party was a chance for all the friends to give their presents to one another; each family had been attending for quite some time now, with most of them regarding each other as family.

As a result, the gift tower grew and grew with each new addition to the party. And, with the pile her own parents and Martha had brought in, she figured there was going to be a lot of spoilt children.

Kate heard the oven beeping behind her, the vegetables she put in to bake two hours ago now finished. The meat was also in the oven, covered in foil to stay warm, and the drinks were all in the fridge, ready to go. Rick had insisted on eggnog, and Kate knew it was better than to argue with that man about his Christmas fetishes.

"Katie!"

The sound of her name caused her to turn, her face splitting into a smile.

"Andy, hey!"

Rushing over as best she could, she managed to pull her little brother – well, he wasn't really that little, he was as tall as Rick – into a hug. She could tell he was happy; his face was an unbroken grin, and, when he smiled as much as this, he had dimples in his cheeks.

Pulling herself away, Kate took in Andrew's expression, the look of sheer joy in his face and the glint in his eye begging her to ask.

"Alright, what's the big news?" she asked, leaning on the bench, a hand on her hip, as she watched him practically explode into an answer.

"Guess who's engaged?"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Congratulations!" Kate shrieked, throwing herself excitedly at Andy, who was laughing, "Oh, Andrew Beckett, I am so proud of you!"

Chuckling, Andy squeezed his sister a final time before retreating, "Gee, thanks Mom!"

After glaring, Kate smiled again as she spoke, "Speaking of, have you told them?"

She looked on confused as Andy shook his head, fiddling with the table cloth corner.

"No, not yet," he said, "I had to tell someone, and you can keep a secret. Lizzie's a blabbermouth, and Mom and Dad would want to announce it to everyone and –"

"You want it kept secret?" Kate asked, "Cos the way you're grinning, someone's gonna notice."

"What? No, no secret," he explained, "But _I_ want to make the announcement."

"Oh," Kate nodded in understanding, as she looked across the room where Carli, Andy's fiancée, was standing, talking to Jenny.

"I'm going to do it before dinner," Andy continued, "otherwise the ring might slap someone in the face."

"Oh, god, tell me it's not tacky huge," Kate whined, sighing, her brother looking playfully hurt.

"Tacky? _Me_? Never!" he cried, laughing, "No, it's classy, but it's nice."

"Expensive nice?"

"Don't even get me started."

"Lucky girl."

"Come on, as if _you_ aren't lucky either!"

Smirking, Kate shook her head and waved him away, "Well, everyone is almost here –"

An outburst from the door caused Kate and Andy's heads to turn, as Rick was sharing a hearty handshake with Roy Montgomery, the Captain of Homicide over at the 12th Precinct.

"Make that everybody _is_ here," Kate corrected, smiling, "so whenever you're ready."

Smiling, Andy gave her another quick hug, before rushing off, "Thanks Kate!"

She turned her attention back to Roy and Evelyn; they had become dear friends, and Kate always enjoyed a drink with Evelyn while Roy was playing poker with Rick. By coincidence, Jenny's husband actually worked in the very division Roy was in charge of, as did Lanie's current boyfriend, Javier Esposito. Both were detectives, and, after their meeting as friends, came to work with professionally a number of times through her firm.

Though, Kate had to remind herself that Jenny was actually a friend of Lizzie's; they both taught the same grade at an elementary school in the East Village, and had lunches with one another and Kate quite regularly. Kevin was also a now permanent fixture at Rick's poker games.

"Everyone, can I have your attention please!"

_Wow, classy, Andy,_ Kate thought to herself, as she turned to see her brother standing on a dining chair, glass in hand. She had to giggle at the use of his courtroom voice; it always seemed to turn heads.

"I have an announcement to make," he continued, as Rick rushed over to Kate's side, appearing confused.

"What's going on?" he whispered quickly in her ear, getting a shaking head in reply.

"Wait and see," she said, as Andy kept speaking, the room now quiet, all eyes on him.

Across the room, Kate could see Carli's beaming face, and her family's confused one, as well as some expectant grins from the rest of the room.

"Carli and I got engaged last night," Andy said, before the room erupted in claps, cheers and cries of joy.

Stepping down from the chair, he was covered in hugs, handshakes and a teary Johanna. Kate laughed, as Alexis came skipping over, a quizzical look on her face.

"What's up, sweetie?" Kate asked, bending over to meet her daughter's eyes.

"What does 'engaged' mean?" she asked, looking confused, as Kate smiled.

"It means," she began, placing her hands on Alexis' shoulders, "that Uncle Andy and Auntie Carli are going to get married."

Alexis gasped loudly, clapping her hands excitedly, before running off to clamp herself around Andy's legs. Grinning, Kate tapped watched as her husband, who had run off right after the 'news' came back, smiling.

"Alright you, help me get this food on the table," she said, placing bowls and trays of meat and veggies on the bench top. Unnoticed by the guests, he began to remove the snack foods from the table, re-adjusting the stacks of plates and cups of cutlery. He replaced the biscuits and slices in the cupboard and fridge respectively, before moving the vegetables into their place. He laid out the meat, and took the tongs held out by Kate to lay beside them.

After five minutes of quick work, and assuring there were places enough for everyone, Kate nodded to Rick, who turned to address the room.

"Let's eat!"

**X X X X X**

**Well, there's the beginnings of the Christmas Party! It's a Christmas Eve event, and next chapter will see its conclusion and the hours before Santa arrives! Then, it'll be Christmas morning in the Castle house! I'm expecting that the actual events of Christmas Day will spill over into a few chapters, and therefore go on after Christmas, but I'll try to get as much of it done quickly, so then we can have a New Years celebration too!**

**P.s. I'm Australian, and it's now almost 2pm on Christmas Day, so, have a very Merry Christmas day!**

**Kayla x**


	7. Chapter 7

**I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I did, which is why this is a little late :s sorry! **

**After this chapter, I won't be continuing Christmas, I'll be moving on to New Year in the hope I can catch up with time (who do I think I am, Doctor Who?). Anyways, enjoy!**

**X X X X X**

Dinner was over fairly quickly; after previous years, most of the guests had learned to basically starve all day, so as to fully appreciate the extravaganza Kate put on. Her mother had taught her everything she knew about cooking, and on top of that, many people brought edible contributions.

As per tradition, after dinner, everyone was seated in front of the Christmas tree, the young children sitting excitedly at the front, pointing out the biggest gifts and which ones belonged to whom. The pile was _huge_, and Kate suspected it would take a long time and a whole lot of patience to get through it all.

Fortunately, the kids were all quiet, wide-eyed and expectant, watching Rick, elected to be Santa Claus at this year's festivities.

It was interesting to watch the different children accepting their presents. Everyone ended up with a fair amount of wrapped goodies, but some of the kids were more exuberant about their acquirements than others.

David would jump up excitedly whenever his name was called, and, if it was big, would marvel at its size momentarily. However, he would never accept a present without thanks, and would sit down to investigate the possibilities almost instantaneously.

Lucas was the opposite. He would give a shy smile to his father, thank him, then read the label and thank whomever it was from.

The older children, including Rose's daughter Liza, and the older brothers of a couple of Alexis' friends, would stand quietly, give their thanks, then return to their places. Often, they would chatter quietly in the back, discussing whether the shape of the package would give away what it was.

After an hour of intense gift-giving, everyone sat with huge piles of red, green, silver and gold wrapped gifts in front of them. As a rule, you were _not_ allowed to open your presents until they had been all handed out. To do so would mean Santa wouldn't visit, as you had been rude and disrespectful to others in a time of giving. At least, that's what Rick said.

"Alright, kiddies, you ready?" he called, as there were shouts of excitement and eager anticipation.

"Okay, here we go – five! Four! Three! Two! One! OPEN!"

At that moment, the sound of gift wrap tearing overtook every other sound in the room, as presents were opened wildly, paper thrown aside and gasps of joy.

"Oh my gosh!"

"Momma, look what I got!"

"Thank you so much!"

"Look at what it does!"

"It's so pretty!"

Kate had to laugh at the small children, particularly her own. Every time they opened a present, they would run over to its giver, swallow them in a huge hug, before running off to open more.

Alexis was the one you could see easily, her red hair following her like a flame as she weaved in and out of the crowd of children. Kate had both her own and Elise's presents sitting in front of her, the baby brunette sitting amongst the gifts. She was mesmerized by the multi-colored paper, and was beginning to rip away at the green and gold of the package in front of her.

Helping her pull it away, they uncovered a brightly colored xylophone, the wooden mallet free from the packaging. Elise squealed excitedly, her hand grasping the handle as she began to beat away excitedly at the keys, giggling happily at each strike.

Looking around, Rick was sitting with the boys and Alexis, who were all beaming at their gifts. Alexis was holding up a gorgeous little dress; it was green and flowing, a white belt strapped around the middle. The little redhead handed the dress and the matching white sandals she'd had in her other hand to her father, before running over and clamping herself around Lanie's legs. Kate couldn't hear her daughter's words, but it looked like she was chanting 'thank you' over and over again.

**X X X X X**

As the night drew to an end, the youngsters were starting to get sleepy, while the parents were packing up the last remnants of paper and toys.

The youngest ones had already gone to sleep, including Elise and Riley, as well as Kate's nephew, Scott and Rose's youngest son, Kaden. One of Alexis' friends' younger sisters, Victoria, was also asleep, while another, Peter, was upstairs with David, both boys being tucked in. Most of the others were still awake, but were bleary-eyed and yawning. Rick had a tired Lucas in his arms as he bade farewell to Mayor Bob and Roy and Evelyn.

"Thanks for a great night, Rick," Roy said, shaking the man's hand, "you always know how to make Christmas."

Rick laughed, "You think tonight was crazy, wait until you see the kids in the morning!"

Chuckling, Roy, Evelyn and Bob made their way to the elevator, Rick carefully shutting the door after them. Kate and Lanie were in the kitchen, clearing up the last of the food, packaging up some leftovers and putting drinks in the fridge.

Kate's parents and his mother were standing by the tree, wine glasses still in their hands, chatting. Javi and Kevin were standing with Andy and Lizzie's husband, Reid, while Jenny, Carli and Lizzie herself were closer to the kitchen, presumably talking with Kate and Lanie. The parents of Alexis' school friends were dotted about the place, both speaking to themselves and the others in the room.

All of the children that were still awake – which no longer included Lucas, who was snoozing on Rick's shoulder – were sitting on or around the couch, playing a board game one of them had received as a present.

"Kate?"

Moving to the kitchen, his wife turned, smiled, then headed toward her husband and son. She pulled her boys into a hug, giving Lucas a kiss on his cheek.

"I'm going to take him up to bed, then I'll come down and help," Rick said, Kate nodding as they both turned away from one another.

The clean-up was always long and tiring, and Kate knew she was going to have problems cleaning the loft in time for 'Santa'. If she were being honest, right now, all she wanted to do was collapse on her bed and sleep the night away. But, the loft was a mess, and she couldn't have that.

"Hey, kids?" she called, as all the young heads turned to face her, "I'll make you a deal; there's enough gingerbread men left here for you guys."

There was an excited gasp, as a few bodies began to start their eager move for the kitchen.

"But!" Kate continued, their faces falling slightly, "If I turn around again in five minutes, and there are paper, toys or food on that floor, the grown-ups are gonna eat them all!"

Like magic, all the kids jumped up and buzzed around the living room, picking up the last pieces of gift wrap, plastic cups, paper plates, basically anything that had been left lying around.

"Katie, you slave laborer!" Lizzie exclaimed, laughing.

"Hey!" Kate cried, "You wanna try cleaning _this_ apartment with a leg brace on? Go for your life!"

The women surrounding her laughed, Lizzie shaking her head, "Point taken."

With the kids on the living and dining room, Kate and Lanie were able to finish up in the kitchen, standing at the fridge for at least a minute trying to find a space.

"Mom!"

"Kate!"

She turned at the collaboration of voices, and saw that the nine children who were still awake had their arms filled with rubbish from the apartment. Kate pulled a trash bag off the reel and passed it to Liza, the oldest at eight years, who had the job of holding it open for the others.

Almost in a procession line, the kids threw what they had in the bin and stood eagerly at the bench, gazing at Kate. Once the bag was full and their hands empty, Liza tied up the bag.

"Kate, where do you want this?" she asked, her voice quiet, but not at all shy. Holding out a hand, Lanie took it from her, "I'll put it away."

"Thanks," Liza finished, before she joined the rest of the kids at the kitchen island. Kate smirked at their excited faces, and looked playfully to Lizzie.

"Lizzie darling, would you inspect their work?" she said, a mocking accent to her voice, causing the kids to giggle.

"But of course, Katie darling!" Lizzie replied in equal enthusiasm, as she turned and walked about the apartment, peering on top of shelves and under tables here and there. A few moments later, she began to head back toward the line-up of children beside Carli and Jenny.

"What do you think, Lizzie?" Kate asked, "Do they deserve a gingerbread man?"

"Ooh, Katie, I don't know," she said, all eyes looking up to Lizzie, both pleading and expecting.

Lizzie scanned the line of expressions, fighting laughter at how forlorn they looked – all for a gingerbread man!

"Oh, I guess they did alright!"

At Lizzie's declaration, they all cheered, and then turned to Kate, who was beginning to run water in the sink and pull across a towel.

"Come and wash your hands, dry them, and then you can have one," Kate explained, as they moved excitedly along to the sink. She pushed a stool across for the smaller kids, who were having problems reaching, before removing the lid of the cookie tin and holding it out. Unsurprisingly, the first child to reach Kate was her own.

"Thank you Mommy!" she said excitedly, taking her gingerbread man then skipping back to the living room.

The next was a yawning Oscar, the four-year-old brother of Liza.

"Thank you, Kate," he said, his little fingers clamping over possibly the biggest cookie in the tin.

Liza followed with her sister, Olivia, who was only a year older than Alexis. Both girls gave gracious thank you's, as they headed back over to their mother, who was standing with the guys.

Alexis' friends followed soon after. There was the pale, brunette Paige, the cute little blonde of Kelsey and a taller, strawberry-blonde Taylor.

"Thank you, Kate!" they exclaimed in giggling unison, before they ran over to join Alexis. Kate had come to know the girls and their families quite well, despite it only being Alexis' first year at school.

It was Paige's older brother, Matthew, and also Kelsey's, Thomas, who came up next. Both were in the same grade at school, but Matthew was yet to turn 8, while Thomas had only a few weeks ago.

Both gave their thanks, and re-joined their parents, who were standing amongst the adults still in the room.

"Oh, goodness, it's getting late," Lizzie exclaimed, looking at her watch, "it's 10 o'clock!"

"No it's not –"

Kate attempted to argue, but looked at her own watch and gasped, "Oh, right, it is!"

Lizzie rolled her eyes, a mannerism that was passed down the Beckett family line with a vengeance. She walked into the living room, her hand gently finding the small of Reid's back, as his eyes turned to her.

"God, your sister is the cutest," Lanie said, her eyes gazing after the young couple, while Kate's rested firmly on Lanie.

"Yeah, you wouldn't say that if you had to share a room with her until you moved out of home," Kate muttered, taking her crutches and hobbling into the living room.

Lanie followed her, laughing, while Carli and Jenny had moved off a few moments earlier.

"Hey, do you know what time it is?"

Rick's voice from behind her caused Kate to turn. She paused, waiting for him to catch up, continuing only when she felt his arm wrapping around her shoulders. Normally, it would be her waist, but with the impediment of crutches, it was rather inconvenient.

"Yes, Lizzie and I just figured that one out," Kate murmured, moving into the mass of people who were still here. A moment later, there was a little redhead making her way slowly and yawning toward them. She fell against them both with a sigh, an arm around each of them, her eyes closed on her parents' thighs.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sleepy," Alexis said, leaving Rick and Kate grinning, her father's hand finding its way to her hair.

"I know, pumpkin," he said, "don't worry, you can go to sleep whenever you want."

Shaking her head, Alexis' eyes fluttered open and she looked up.

"Nuh-uh," she began, "Paige and Taylor and Kelsey are still here – it's rude to go to sleep when you have friends over unless you're a baby."

"That's right," Kate agreed, giving a stern, flirty look to Rick, who raised an eyebrow. God, she loved it when he did that.

"Well, Katie, we're headed off," came the voice of Johanna, who was making her way over with Jim in tow.

Kate smiled, allowing herself to be swallowed by her mother's hug.

"Thanks for coming, Mom," she said, squeezing her a little tighter before she let go. Johanna simply smiled in return, as Jim stepped forward to say goodbye.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Katie," he said, giving a quick hug and a bright smile, "11 o'clock?"

Kate nodded, "11 o'clock."

Rick showed them to the door, while Kate watched Rose and Webster begin to corral their kids. Liza was standing calmly by her mother's side, while Oscar and Olivia were playing tag around their father's legs.

Rose was quick to scold them, before moving off toward the study where the babies were asleep.

Andy and Carli were also collecting their things, a plastic bag of presents between them. On their way over, Andy whispered in Carli's ear, words that caused her to smile and blush. Kate unknowingly let a grin fall across her face too; it was nice to see her brother so happy for once.

"You headed off too?" she asked, his head turning to his sister as he nodded.

"Yeah, big day tomorrow!" he exclaimed, laughing as he reached in for a hug.

"You think you have a big day?" Kate asked incredulously, "Wait until you have kids!"

"Wow, whoa," Carli exclaimed, raising her hands, "slow down there!"

Laughing, Kate moved to Carli, who wore a warm smile, embracing the younger woman.

"Trust me, Christmas is so much more fulfilling when you have young kids to share it with," Kate said, emitting an even brighter smile.

"Hey, don't go putting ideas into her head!" Andy said, laughing, "We're still young'uns!

"Pfft!"

Kate got a glare from Andy, before they began to move to the door.

"Merry Christmas!" Kate called after them, "See you tomorrow!"

Waving, Andy shook the hand of Rick, who was still waiting by the door, before he guided Carli out of the loft.

Within the next few minutes, Paige and Matthew were on their way, with plans to catch up for the New Year hanging in the air. Kelsey and Thomas followed, with their sleeping three-year-old brother, Peter, asleep in his father's arms.

"Thanks for a great night, guys," Jack, Kelsey's father, said, "you sure know what Christmas spirit is!"

Kate laughed, as she gave a hug to each of the children and his wife, Harriet. Peter woke long enough to say goodbye, before he was sleeping again.

"You guys have a wonderful Christmas," Kate called, waving as they left.

Taylor wasn't around for much longer either, and once she and her younger sister, Victoria, were escorted off by their smiling parents, Kate sent Alexis upstairs to get ready for bed. The sleepy five-year-old obliged, padding her way up the stairs.

Martha made her exit a few moments before Rose and Webster did, each of their children carrying a huge bag full of their presents. Liza was a delight in herself, as she gave Kate and Rick huge hugs, smiling and thanking them for a lovely time.

"I don't know where her manners came from," Rose said, smiling, "but I wish she'd have left some for these two!"

Oscar and Olivia, although two years apart, were partners in crime, always up to mischief. They were angelic, at best, but many under-estimated their ability to wreak havoc.

Kate laughed as she watched her friend move off into the elevator, waving as the doors slid closed. Kaden had woken up just long enough to wave them off. That seemed to be a trend with the sleeping little ones tonight.

Inside the loft, Rick had headed upstairs to check on Alexis, while Lizzie and Reid were finishing packing up their gifts. Well, Reid was packing them up; Lizzie was holding the bag for him.

"Why don't you help, huh?" Reid asked, grinning as she poked her tongue out.

"I'd love to, but Baby gets in the way!" she said, "You know how he doesn't like to help."

"Must take after his mother…"

Kate didn't hear the rest of the conversation; the cuteness was killing her. She finished up the last few dishes that were in the sink, before arms clamped around her stomach.

"Hey," she murmured quietly, receiving a grunt from Rick, his chin leaning on her shoulder.

"Alexis asleep?" she asked, feeling him nod into her neck.

"Hate to break up the party…"

Rick stood up straight, but left his hands where they were, as both their heads looked to Lizzie and Reid, with a snoozing Scott in his arms. Kate smiled, shaking off and drying her hands, before she limped toward her sister.

"You going home?" she asked, pulling her pregnant sister into a hug.

"Yeah, it's past Baby's bedtime," she said, before pulling back to face Kate, "and mine!"

Laughing, Kate gave Scott a quick kiss on the cheek, stroking his hair back behind his ear.

"He got so big so fast," Lizzie murmured, her hand finding Scott's toe, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Kate nodded, looking from her nephew to glance toward the stairs and then back again.

"Yeah, it gets like that," she said, "one minute they're learning to walk and the next…they're starting school."

Lizzie was bright and smiley the whole time she stared at Scott, almost captivated by his fluttering eyelids and his little hand curled up around his Daddy's neck.

"Yeah, you gotta be careful not to blink," Lizzie said, chuckling, "you might miss something!"

"Ha, definitely!"

Lizzie and Reid insisted on seeing themselves out, as Kate quickly finished the dishes before putting them away. The loft was eerily silent now that everyone had gone, sighing as she let the silence wash over her. Christmas was always crazy, but now her kids were getting older, it was getting crazier each year. Not to mention, right after is David's birthday on New Year's Eve. Still, Rick and Kate had come up with a great gift for him this year, and Alexis was just _dying_ to try and figure it out!

A grunt from the study turned her head, as Rick walked in with a sack slung over his shoulder and four stockings in his hands.

Becoming rather speedy on her crutches, Kate was quick to his side, taking the different colored stockings from him. Alexis', of course, was a dark, forest green, with her name embroidered across the top in gold. David's was red, with his name adorned in silver, while Lucas had a bright green stocking and a red name.

This year had been difficult to find one for Elise that wasn't similar to those they already had. Many had suggested a pink one, but they were intent on keeping their Christmas colors traditional; red, green, gold and silver. They had managed to find a silver stocking for Elise, the letters of her name alternating between gold and red.

Since they didn't have a traditional fireplace, the stockings got hung from the window sill beside the tree. They hung in age order, Alexis first on the left, followed by David, Lucas and now Elise.

After the kids' stockings were hung, Rick pulled out theirs from the bag as well. Usually, they filled theirs with silly little knick knacks just so the kids didn't think they'd been left out. You see, the 'Santa System' in the Castle house was quite easy to understand, but it was also well thought out, thanks to Rick.

The stockings that hung on the walls were filled with presents from Santa Claus, while those under the tree were from family, but delivered by Santa. Alexis had asked why Santa delivered them, when Kate and Rick could just put them under the tree themselves.

"_Daddy, why does Santa bring them?" Alexis asked, "If you already have them, why don't _you_ do it?"_

_Rick sat opposite her, shaking his head._

"_Alexis, Alexis, Alexis…" he said, pulling her hand in his own, "You see, once the Mommies and Daddies wrap all the presents, we send them up to the North Pole."_

"_But why?" Alexis demanded, her eyes full of questions._

"_Because, we don't always have room for all the presents," he explained, "and some little children like to play spy games…"_

_He gave a narrowed eye to Alexis, who giggled cheekily at his look, knowing that was one of her naughty habits. _

"_And besides, if Santa didn't have to visit, you'd never get your stocking!"_

_Alexis gasped, her eyes and mouth wide._

"_That's a good idea, Daddy!"_

Once the stockings were hung, Kate and Rick sat themselves on the floor and began to lay out the rest of the gifts for the kids. They each had their own presents stashed away somewhere, which they would get out just before they went to bed. As a rule, Rick always put his out first, his curiosity always getting the better of him when he saw his name on a label.

They made quick work of the presents; with the time nearing 11 o'clock, they wanted to go to bed. They knew they would be woken up bright and early tomorrow, and wanted to fit in as much sleep as possible before that happened.

"Right, I'm going to get mine, then I'm hitting the sack," Rick said, standing up and offering Kate his hand. Taking it, she allowed him to hoist her up, grabbing her crutches from nearby, sighing.

"I'm right behind you," she said, as they made their way into their bedroom. Inside, Elise was sleeping peacefully, her Christmas pajamas causing Kate to smile. She pulled a bag out of the closet, while Rick had a box in the dresser, and they both eyes each other's package curiously.

However, their will to sleep was beginning to override their usual interest, and they were quick to return to the living room and put out the gifts. The pile this year was larger by far than any other year, and Kate imagined it would only get bigger before it would get smaller.

Passing the wrapped goodies from her bag to Rick, she knew he was tired; he wouldn't even take a second look or shake it about to sleep on the possibilities.

"Alright, sleepyhead," Kate murmured, tapping him on the back with one of her crutches, "bed time."

They were quick to their bedroom and to change into their sleep clothes, before practically falling onto the bed. Kate was exhausted, and the pain in her leg was beginning to sink in. She'd taken some of her pain medication just before they came through, but it was taking it's time sinking in.

Rick sighed as he pulled the covers up and over them, rolling sideways to lay an arm over Kate's waist. Smiling to herself, she let her hand fall over his, her senses slowly drifting out of consciousness. Before she could fathom him pulling her gently closer, she was asleep.

**X X X X X**

**Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this chapter. I know up there ^^ I said that this would possibly be the last Christmas chapter, but I must have lied. Sorry about that! Unless, of course, you like Castle Christmases, in which case, you're in luck! I will be doing Christmas morning, and, if I get the time before New Year's, maybe even the lunch at Jim and Johanna's. **

**But enough, I have some more writing to do!**

**I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!**

**Kayla x**


	8. Chapter 8

**So, this is just a charming little image of a young family on Christmas morning, with a few surprises in store (:**

**Best wishes for 2012!**

**X X X X X**

"Mommy!"

"Daddy!"

"Santa's been!"

Among the incoherent cries of their children barging into their bedroom, Kate and Rick were startled awake, Elise sitting up in her crib giggling. Alexis and David pounced up on the bed, clambering over the top of their parents, still chattering excitedly. Lucas was a little more careful, waiting for his brother and sister to stop bouncing, before he too climbed up on the bed.

"Momma, Santa came!" Alexis cried, yanking on her mother's arm, urging her out of bed, "Come see!"

Kate grunted as she was pulled out of bed, her hair flopping over her face, causing Rick to laugh.

"Rick, grab the baby!" she called out, before she was dragged, giggling, into the living room.

"Come _on_ Daddy!" David urged, as he threw the covers off and began to tug on his arm.

"Yeah, Dadda, or someone might open your presents!" Lucas exclaimed, bouncing excitedly as he ran off after his older sister.

Shaking his head, Rick succumbed to the instructions of his children, picking up a clapping Elise on his way.

"Da-da!" she cried happily, squishing the skin of Rick's cheek with her hand, giggling hysterically at his funny face.

"Hurry up, Dad!" Alexis cried, "Come see what I got from Santa!"

Rick chuckled as he followed his chattering sons to the living room, the baby in his arms clapping and blowing raspberries.

"Da-da! Da-da!" Elise chanted, poking her father's cheek every now and then, laughing as he tried to lick her finger. When they arrived in the living room, she gasped, her arms reaching out away from Rick.

"Mommy!" she cried, beaming. Rick re-adjusted himself, then placed the little girl's feet on the ground, holding her hands above his head.

"Go on, go see Mommy," Rick cooed, as Elise took a few shaky steps forward. However, being the daughter of her mother, she was quick to shake her hands free from her father's, a few steps taken on her own before she dropped back onto her bottom. She looked around the room at the smiling faces and shrieked in laughter, clapping again and kicking her legs excitedly.

"Mommy!" she called, as she began to crawl very quickly over to where Kate was sitting.

"Hey baby," Kate said, pulling the baby girl in her Christmas onesie up onto her lap, her tiny hands clinging to her mother.

An unsatisfied sigh came from Alexis, who was standing by the tree tapping her foot.

"Mom, we're supposed to be looking at the stockings!" Alexis exclaimed, "Look, you got one too!"

"Okay, okay," Rick said, laughing, as he moved closer to the excited children, "on three – one! Two! Three!"

On three, each of the Castle kids were racing for their stocking, while Rick carefully pulled down the ones for himself and Kate. His said wife was walking over to the window sill, her hands clinging to Elise's as the eight-month-old walked slowly toward her stocking. She stopped at the wall, using it for stability before reaching up, grasping for her stocking.

"Tok-in!" she cried, grinning, looking from Kate to the bright colors in front of her. Kate giggled quietly to herself; true, her little girl liked to make noise, but she had only just started using words.

Kate gently pulled the stocking down from the sill and handed it to the curious baby girl. She was gazing at it intently, her fingers tracing the bright color that was her name. She looked up at Kate, grinning and giggling, before she slowly fell onto her backside.

Laughing, Kate leaned down to scoop her up, a gentle kiss left on her cheek as she continued to fiddle with the stocking.

"Mommy, when can we do the presents?" Alexis asked, her things organized neatly in a pile and her stocking beside it, empty. The boys were still on their stockings, David almost finished and Lucas halfway through, with some help from his father.

"In a second, honey," Kate said, met with a huff, "you have to wait for the boys."

Groaning, the little red head contented herself with sitting in front of the tree, gazing at the presents underneath and sighing on occasion. Kate shook her head, as she watched Rick with the boys. David finished the last of his goodies; a selection of spaceship stickers and a miniature space shuttle model. Lucas was slowly pushing his stocking aside, his face curved in a pout as Rick lifted him up, headed for Kate and the tree.

"He's going to finish it later," Rick explained, Lucas cuddling his father with his good arm.

Grinning, Kate reached out to lay a hand on her boy's cheek; he was still sulking.

"How's the arm today, kiddo?" she asked, tracing lines on his cheekbone with her thumb.

"Good," he said, "not sore no more."

"Anymore," Rick corrected, leaving Kate shaking her head.

"Mommy! Daddy! Hurry up!"

Alexis' outburst turned all their heads, as she sat looking expectantly at her parents, David by her side.

"Okay, okay, we're coming," Kate said, the oldest Castle child sitting up straight, her eyes bright and waiting.

"Who's gonna be Santa this year?" Alexis asked, her hands clasped under her chin, as Kate took her seat with Elise by the tree.

"Are you Santa, Mommy?" David asked, grinning as they watched her don a nearby Santa hat. Raising her eyebrow, Kate shook her head, a playful pout on her face.

"No, silly, Santa's a boy!" she exclaimed, flicking her hair over her shoulder which caused Alexis to giggle.

"You're Mrs. Claus!" the little girl exclaimed excitedly. Nodding, Kate sat Elise between David and Alexis, the latter pulling her baby sister into her lap and hugging her close.

"Don't squeeze her too hard," Kate said with a stern point, turning for the first present on a nod from Alexis.

**X X X X X**

The kids all sat with great piles of gifts in front of them, each fiddling with one of their new acquisitions. Kate sat with Elise and Alexis, quietly chattering away about Alexis' new book and Elise's _Little People_ bus that jingled when you pushed it. The youngest girl was pushing it along before crawling after it, giggling, all the way around the apartment. Alexis was following her, making sure she didn't get into any place she wasn't to be in. David and Lucas were busy building with the Lego they'd both received, while Rick sat on the couch, glancing from his children to Kate, who was sitting by the tree, grinning.

"What?"

Instead of speaking, she reached right under to the trunk of the tree, and pulled out a small, square package. She wordlessly passed it to her quizzical husband, who began to slowly pull at the ribbon and remove the gift wrap.

Kate was fighting a grin, biting her lip to subdue her glee. Once pulled away, the small box that remained contained a white, baby onesie. Looking to her, Rick's expression took on a new league of confusion.

"I'd say this was meant to be for Elise," he said, "but it's far too small for her!"

He continued to look at her questioningly, before she stood and moved to sit beside him.

"You don't get it, do you?" she asked, linking with his arm and leaning her chin on his shoulder, a grin appearing on her lips.

He shook his head exaggeratedly, before speaking, "Nope, not at all."

Kate rolled her eyes and sighed, her free hand falling on Rick's, which was grasping the box lightly.

"You know, for a mystery writer, you're not very good at drawing conclusions –"

"Hey, don't pull out the mystery writer card!"

"You know I'm right."

"Usually, yes, but this time," he said, raising a finger, "you're wrong."

Smirking, Kate began shaking her head, her fingers gently caressing his as she took a breath in.

"This," she said, tapping the box, "is a…an IOU, I guess, of the present that is meant to arrive on August 3rd next year."

Rick's face turned to intense thought, before it blossomed into sheer joy.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"What way?"

Both heads turned to Alexis, who was standing, clutching Elise in her arms, looking about as confused as Rick had a moment ago.

"Guess what?" Rick asked, leaning forward, as Kate took Elise. Alexis joined in the little game, hands on her hips, leaning forward where her nose was mere millimeters from her father's.

"What?"

"You gotta guess."

"Nah-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

"Tell me, Dad!"

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"Your Mom's having a baby!"

**X X X X X**

**So, this took a little longer to get through than I expected. To be honest, I've been writing it since I posted the last chapter, and going on how short this one is, it's a pretty sad effort. **

**Ah well, hope you found it delightful, and sorry for not going through all their gifts; I figured you'd rather a shorter chapter now, than a longer chapter when it's not even December anymore…**

**Anyways, enjoy, review and good luck for 2012!**

**New Year's Eve chapter is next!**

**Kayla x**


	9. Chapter 9

**Rightio, here we go, I think I'm on a roll, but we'll decide that when this is finished.**

**X X X X X**

Kate was up abnormally early. It might have been because it was her son's fourth birthday. For every birthday, the kids (and, on occasion, Rick) were treated to a cooked breakfast. If she wanted to get it done by the time an excited David came ambling down the stairs, she would need to get started early.

Maybe, since she had finally broken the news that she was expecting, she didn't feel the need to hide her…symptoms any more. As a consequence, she'd spent about half an hour bent over the bath tub around 2am that morning. When you were sleep-deprived, the tub was a much bigger target than the toilet bowl.

Either way, she found herself stirring a bowl of pancake mix while she scrambled eggs. As a mother of four, soon to be five, she'd learned how to multi-task in the kitchen. Once all of the kids were at school, she figured she'd have to become even more efficient, although, how she could move any quicker, she wasn't too sure. Maybe Rick would have to get off his butt and help for once.

Snickering at the thought, Kate's head turned to a loud yawn at the bottom of the stairs. Her little red-headed Alexis was moving slowly toward her sleepily, climbing up onto a stool at the bench.

"Morning Mommy," she murmured, stifling a yawn, a glass of orange juice placed in front of her.

"Morning, gorgeous," replied Kate, giving her a smile, continuing on with the breakfast. Her daughter sat reading the book she'd left there the night before, her lips moving to mime the words on the page.

"And how are my gorgeous girls this morning?" Rick called, making his way toward the kitchen, a pouting Elise in his arms.

"Well, Elise looks cranky," Alexis said, giggling, as Kate shook her head and reached for the baby girl.

"No, just hungry I think," Rick said, watching in awe as his wife whispered quietly in Elise's ear. The little girl was already smiling just being in her Mom's arms, and giggled excitedly when she got a kiss on the side of her head.

"She is such a Momma's girl," Rick murmured, still standing behind Alexis. Unknown to him, the little redhead heard him, turning in her seat to face her father.

"It's okay, Daddy," she said, "I'll always be your girl."

Grinning, he curled his arms around their oldest daughter, the two watching Kate silently. She was busy talking to Elise, her words so soft they were incoherent, as she finished getting the baby girl's bottle.

"Momma, Daddy!"

The cries of little Lucas came floating down the stairs, followed closely by the little boy himself. He came running up to his father, throwing himself gleefully around his legs.

"Hey, kiddo!" Rick cried, bending down to pick him up, "How's the arm today?"

"Goooooooood!"

Kate laughed; Lucas was back to his usual, wacky self, watching as he giggled and fidgeted in Rick's arms.

"Where's the birthday boy?" she asked, looking around the kitchen. With just one Castle missing, it already seemed empty.

"I'm here!"

A little bundle of energy came gallivanting down the stairs, chanting "I'm four!" over and over.

"Happy birthday, big boy!" Rick exclaimed, putting Lucas beside his sister before racing over to scoop up the excited four-year-old.

**X X X X X**

After being fed his breakfast, David had excitedly opened his gifts. Among them, and presumably his favorite, was a Lego model of a rocket, which the three boys had spent the last two hours putting together. Now, Kate was corralling the kids and preparing to take them out. David was going with Rick for his birthday surprise, while Kate was taking Alexis, Lucas and Elise out for lunch with Lizzie and baby Scott.

"Alright, kiddo, you ready?" Rick said, doing up his son's parka and pulling a beanie all the way down over his ears.

Replying with an enthusiastic nod, David waved goodbye to his family, heading out the front door with Rick.

"Daddy, where are we going?" he asked, grinning mischievously as they stepped on the elevator. Rick looked sideways at him, raising an eyebrow, causing David to giggle.

"If I tell you then it won't be a surprise!" Rick whined, bending to adjust the eye-rolling little boy's parka. There was a ding, signaling the elevator had reached the ground floor, before the doors slid open and David went ambling out.

In front of the building was a town car, the kind Rick usually hired for special occasions. David was jumping up and down excitedly, waiting at the front door for his father to catch up.

Rick grinned, watching his son wave goodbye to the doorman as he climbed in the car. Kate and Rick had known what to give him for a while now, and they were hoping he loved it as much as they thought he would.

The little boy loved space; he could tell you all the planets in the solar system, even knew how to spell and write a few of his favorites, like Jupiter and Saturn. So, unbeknownst to David, the town car was taking them to the Rose Center for Earth and Space in the museum. The young boy still didn't know about the relatively new Hayden Planetarium, and Rick was sure he would be ecstatic.

"Are we there yet?" David sighed, his eyes peering out the window expectantly, before he turned to Rick.

"Just about, buddy," answered Rick, who was also shielding his fair share of pure, childish excitement from his son. He knew he would never hear the end of it.

They felt the car come to a slow, as David began his bouncing all over again.

"Daddy, we're at the museum!" he exclaimed excitedly, "Is this my present?"

"Sure is, kiddo!" cried Rick, as he began to climb out, "Because do you know what they've got now?"

David quickly ambled out of the car, joining his father on the sidewalk, the snow swirling gently around them.

"What, Daddy?" he asked, shoving his gloved hands into his pockets, much like Rick was, his beanie-clad head tilting upward to look at his father.

"A planetarium," Rick replied, leading the young boy through the doors and into the museum lobby. Laughing at the confused look he received, Rick pulled off the little boy's beanie, ruffling his hair as he began to explain.

"A planetarium is where they study planets," Rick began, emitting a gasp of excitement from David, "and this one is brand new."

"Will we get to see all the planets, Daddy?" the little boy exclaimed, clasping his hands excitedly under his chin, bouncing after his father, "And what about the stars? Or meteors! Ooh – black holes!"

Rick chuckled at his son's glee, as they made their way through the ticket booths and into the museum.

**X X X X X**

Kate regretted picking a restaurant so far out of the way the minute she stepped out of the car. Lizzie had driven to the loft, and, since the Castle car had been mutilated in the crash, they had to walk. Arguing she'd be fine, Kate watched Lizzie push along the stroller that held both eight-month-old Elise and eighteen-month-old Scott. Although the latter could walk, the Beckett sisters had decided that, under the circumstances, it was safer to keep them both contained. Alexis had her hand firmly on the stroller, while Lucas was clinging to his Aunt Lizzie's hand. Kate followed, trying her best to keep up.

"Kate, we should have driven –"

"Lizzie, I'm fine –"

"Not just for you!" Lizzie cried, laughing, "I'm six months pregnant! It's killing me!"

Kate shook her head with a smile, sighing in relief when she saw the restaurant just ahead.

"Thank god," she murmured, "my leg is going to fall off."

"It's okay, Mommy," Alexis said, turning her head, "we'll glue it back on!"

Lizzie smirked and giggled, as Kate nodded to her little girl.

"Somehow, I don't think it'll work, Lexi," Kate said, Alexis now giggling as well, "but thanks for the thought."

"You're welcome!" came the cheeky reply, before the young redhead was urged into the restaurant ahead of the stroller, her little brother, Lucas, in tow.

Lizzie and Kate were sharing head shakes and eye rolls as they headed in, a young, male waiter attending to them almost instantly.

"Good afternoon, ladies, did you have a reservation?" he asked, his hands grasping around a pen, his eyes scanning the notepad in front of him.

"Yeah, Beckett?" Lizzie said, peering onto the pad herself, "table of four and three quarters?"

Kate stifled a laugh at the kind waiter, who was looking confused at an unperturbed Lizzie.

"Two adults, two kids and two mini-me's, thanks," Lizzie said, throwing a small bill onto the reservation book, "preferably in a corner with an extra chair."

"Are you expecting someone else?" he asked, grabbing a stack of menus, preparing to lead them to their table.

"Lizzie, it's fine –"

"Shh!"

Silencing her sister, she began to explain the issue of Kate's leg, much to the older Beckett's annoyance.

Her leg was in a brace, she wasn't a cripple. Well, she wouldn't be once she got it off.

For once, Alexis and Lucas were staying relatively quiet, peering around the restaurant curiously. It wasn't exactly fancy, but it wasn't bad either. It felt quite homely, but at the same time, you still felt as though you were eating out.

Moments later, they were being escorted to a table in the corner, with enough space for Scott and Elise and also for Kate to elevate her injured leg.

"Lizzie, you're such a pain in the ass when we go out, you know?" Kate laughed, grunting as she lifted her stiff leg onto the nearest chair, leaving it under the table for safety.

Instead of replying, her younger sister just shrugged, grinning before she began to peruse the menu. Alexis and Lucas had been brought a cup of crayons and a coloring sheet each, and were both madly attacking the paper with various colors, chatting quietly as they did so. Elise had fallen asleep, while Scott was now sitting in a high chair beside Lizzie, silent and curious as his eyes made the rounds of the patrons.

"So, were you even expecting Andy to propose?" Lizzie asked out of the blue, placing her menu down and gazing incredulously at Kate, who simply shrugged.

"I figured it was coming," she said, "he's head over heels for that girl, and for once, the girl is treating him right."

A moment's pause raised Kate's eyes and noticing Lizzie staring at her, confused.

"What am I missing here?" Lizzie asked, "I feel like I've been living under a rock!"

"Well, you kinda have been," Kate said, "Andy called me before I went to the Hamptons."

"Really?" Lizzie interrupted, sitting back and crossing her arms over her stomach, "And what did the two of you say about me?"

Kate sighed, pushing her menu aside and leaning forward.

"Liz, we were worried," she began, "you were really, I don't know…shut off from the world for so long. Even Jenny couldn't get anything out of you, and she's your best friend."

"Kate, I don't need you to be worried about me, I'm fine," Lizzie concluded curtly, before picking up her menu and burying her nose in it.

"Fine, then tell me why whenever I would call, it'd go straight to voicemail?" Kate asked, "Because you always, _always_, answer your phone."

"Look, I appreciate the big sister thing – it's cute, but it's annoying, okay?" Lizzie demanded, "But honestly, there is _nothing _serious going on, and if there were, I would tell you."

"So it's not serious, but there's something?"

"God, Kate, would you just let it go?"

Kate watched her sister's green eyes go misty, before she looked away, masking her emotions just as the Becketts were famous for.

"Do you remember when we were kids?" Kate began, "And we used to play this game where we'd tell each other secrets?"

Lizzie scoffed, "Yeah, except you don't have secrets any more."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh _please_, Kate," Lizzie said with a grin, "You're married to Richard freaking Castle! You guys practically live on page six!"

"Not true!"

"Oh really?" Lizzie challenged, "Prove it then."

Kate raised an eyebrow, watching the smug look take over her face.

"You tell me one thing that _hasn't_ been in the papers, and I'll tell you what's been going on with me," Lizzie said, looking victorious.

However, her gaze faltered a little when Kate leaned forward, sternly and smiling wickedly.

"I'm pregnant."

Instead of reacting the way Kate thought she would, Lizzie began laughing.

"Come on!" Lizzie cried, "What do you take me for?"

Instead of arguing, Kate simply sat and looked at her, every bit of sincerity in her body oozing from her expression. Slowly, Lizzie began to shift from amusement to confusion, and then finally to joy.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"_Seriously_?"

"Seriously!"

"Wow."

"Tell me about it."

"Well, congratulations!"

Kate shook her head at the disbelief in her sister's eyes; true, when she saw the results of the tests at the hospital, she hadn't exactly been prepared for it either, but she'd had an inkling for quite a while. It had been an effort to keep it from Rick, and she hadn't wanted to announce it at the Christmas party. She was still early, only about 9 or 10 weeks along; she wasn't prepared for the public onslaught of questions and attention, after having four children already.

"So, Lex, are you excited for tonight?" Lizzie asked her redheaded niece, who was now finished her drawing. The young girl nodded excitedly, leaving a smile on her mother's face.

"Ah-huh!" she exclaimed, "We get to watch the ball drop!"

Lizzie laughed at the young girl's enthusiasm. Rick had organized a hotel room for them all at the Renaissance, where they would be spending New Year's Eve. Most of the kids were excited, having only seen the ball drop once, and it was on the television.

"After we've had dinner for David's birthday," Kate added, smiling at yet another excited nod from her daughter.

The young waiter from earlier was seen to be heading toward their table, notepad in hand.

"Gosh, Katie, that waiter is _so_ cute!" Lizzie gushed, earning an eye roll.

"Elizabeth Beckett, you are _married_!" Kate reminded her in a mocking, sing-song voice, laughing at the head shake she got.

"It doesn't matter," Lizzie said as-a-matter-of-factly, "because so long as you don't touch, you can look _all_ you want!"

**X X X X X**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR! **

**I hope everyone has a wonderful 2012! Like the Christmas chapter, I am awfully behind, but there will only be one or two more New Year chapters, then we can move on to Castle Family Life!**

**Also, quick Q; I have another plot bunny floating in my head. Dare I let it out, or will four stories be far too much? New Year's Resolution – write!**

**Kayla x**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys. Sorry I haven't been writing very much, I've had some personal issues to deal with. Since I've taken so long, I'm terribly behind on my chapters, so I've decided that New Years' will be skipped; It was mostly going to be fluff anyway. So we're picking up in just another day in the life of a Castle (:**

**X X X X X**

The sun was barely up when Kate's phone buzzed, startling her awake. She reached out, whacking at empty space until her fingers grasped her cell, the hand that lay over her stomach shuffling before becoming still.

It was a text from Andy about Marcus Freidman. It had been a few weeks since she'd seen or heard from him, but she figured the reason to be he was sorting things out with his kids.

'_Hey Katie, call me once you get this. Marcus Freidman - Urgent.'_

She was quick out of bed, unplugging her phone from the charger as she went. Making her way to the living room, she was surprised to see the three older kids all up and playing.

"Morning Mommy!" greeted Alexis, who looked up from the Lego she was sharing with her brothers with a smile, before returning.

"Morning, pumpkin," she replied quickly, heading to the kitchen to brew the coffee. As she did, she dialed her brother's number and waited.

"_Andrew Beckett."_

"Andy, it's Kate," she blurted, "What's up?"

"_Kate, you're never going to believe this," he said, leaning forward on his desk, head in his free hand, "but Marcus is dead."_

"What?" she exclaimed, her mouth gaping, eyes popping as she comprehended the thought. How could he possibly be dead?

"How did he die?"

"_They think he had some help," Andy explained, "your pals over at the 12__th__, uh, Esposito and – what's the weedy one?"_

"Ryan, Jenny's husband," she corrected, shaking her head at his description, "are they the lead investigators?"

"_Yeah," he said, standing to walk around his office, tired of sitting down, his frustration making him antsy, "but that's not the problem; the problem is his kids."_

"Are they in Social Services?" Kate asked, her voice falling at the thought.

"_No, right now they're in the lunch room," Andy explained with a sigh, "they were there when it happened."_

Kate let out her own sad sigh. It was one thing to know about the deaths of your parents, it was a complete other to have seen it.

"Did they see anything?"

"_Nah, it was a poisoning they reckon," he said, "but the oldest girl, Tina? Yeah, she watched him have the seizure."_

"Oh god, the poor girl," Kate murmured, watching as Rick sauntered sleepily to the kitchen, raising an eyebrow at her concerned face. She gave him a quick, close-lipped smile and a gentle wave, before massaging the back her neck with a free hand, emitting a sigh.

"So what's going to happen to them now?" Kate asked, looking longingly at her own smiling children in the living room. Elise had joined them now, Rick having placed her on the ground beside Alexis, who was doing her best at looking after her.

"_Well, Social Services hasn't lifted a finger as of yet," Andy explained, "so I'm not going to do anything for as long as possible, just so they don't have to go into the system."_

"Where are they going to go?" Kate asked, stepping aside so Rick could make a start on coffee and breakfast, "They can't stay in the firm's lunch room."

"_Yeah, I know, umm…" he murmured, biting his bottom lip, wondering whether his highly deceptive sister would pick up on his insinuation._

"What time are you bringing them over?" Kate asked, chuckling.

"_Katie, you are the best!"_

"Oh, I try!" she added with another laugh, starting for the office where her file on Marcus Freidman was stashed.

"_Well, I can bring them anytime," he said, "but they haven't got a lot of stuff – they aren't allowed back in the apartment as it's an active crime scene."_

"That's okay," Kate said, "my kids are about the same age, we'll have stuff for them, and if not, we have no aversion to getting what they need."

"_Kate, I can only ask you to do this for a few nights," Andy said, "but, if we have proof of a stable home for them to be in until we find a family member for them to go with, they don't have to go into the system –"_

"Andy, we'll keep them as long as we need to," Kate demanded, "if my kids were left without Rick and I, then I'd want them to be with a safe family than in a foster home."

"_I don't know how you do it, Kate," Andy laughed, "I mean you've already got four, and you're taking on another three? Not to mention your little surprise…"_

"Hey, now!" Kate exclaimed, "How'd you find out?"

"_I have my sources," he added coyly, leaving Kate shaking her head._

"Lizzie told you, didn't she?"

"_I assured the anonymity of my advisors."_

"Hey, be nice, I'm doing you a favor!"

"_Point taken," he added in a serious tone, before laughing once more, "so listen, is 9am okay?"_

"9am is fine," Kate replied with a nod, "have they eaten?"

"_Uh, nothing substantial, a few biscuits, some hot chocolate," Andy said, moving back to his seat, sighing as he sunk into it, "but Kate?"_

"Yeah?"

"_Thanks."_

"Anything for my baby brother," she added, grinning and chuckling, joining with the laughter on the other end as she began to search the office for the file.

"_Right, well, I'll see you at 9am."_

"See you at 9am."

She hit the end call button, leaving her phone on the desk and reaching for the file that held the children's names. As she turned to walk out, the presence of Rick startled her. She sighed into a small smile at his worried and confused expression, accepting the arm on her shoulder as they walked back into the kitchen.

"What did Andy want?" he asked, sitting beside her at the kitchen island as she flipped open the file, his hand gently massaging her shoulder.

Kate sighed then looked to Rick. She hadn't exactly asked his permission to look after the Freidman girls. Not that he didn't love children, but she wasn't entirely sure he'd be open to having eight children under the age of ten roaming about the loft.

"I sort of volunteered us for babysitting duties," Kate said, watching Rick sigh, shaking his head a little before he broke into a smile.

"I should have known," he said, planting a kiss on her cheek as he stood to finish sorting out the breakfast.

"What do you mean you 'should've known'?" she asked, a bemused grin on her lips as she watched him chuckling his way about the kitchen.

"Kate, when have you ever turned away from helpless anybody, let alone three little girls," he explained, placing a mug in front of her, filling it with coffee, "so it doesn't really come as any surprise to me."

Kate's face erupted into a beaming smile, her eyes glistening as she watched her grinning husband move between the fridge, the stove top and the microwave oven.

She stood slowly and quietly, making her way into the kitchen, wrapping her arms around his waist as he flipped the bacon in the fry pan. She sighed into his back, leaning the side of her face just below the nape of his neck.

"Thank you, Rick," she murmured, closing her eyes gently, feeling his laugh vibrate through his body.

**X X X X X **

The kids all sat at the dining table, Alexis and David seated, Lucas on his knees and Elise in a high chair. Kate was sitting in her usual seat beside Rick, waiting for them to finish their breakfast before she told them of their visitors. Luckily, Rick had managed get onto a local furniture store, and had organized for three single beds to be delivered sometime around lunch. He would be spending the morning clearing out the rumpus room they had downstairs to turn it into a bedroom for the three girls, all of whom would be arriving very soon with Kate's brother.

The clattering of forks on plates told Kate the kids were done with their bacon and eggs, as she too lowered her fork. She was a slow eater at the best of times, but eating in the mornings wasn't her favorite thing to do at the moment.

"Hey, kids, can we talk for a sec?" she asked, as all the blue and one set of green eyes laid on her.

"Do you all remember Mr. Freidman?" Kate asked, "The man who was here before Christmas?"

"The one whose wife died?" David asked, cocking his head quizzically. Kate met him with a nod, before continuing.

"Well, he…passed away recently too," Kate explained, "and he has three little girls that have nowhere to go, so, uh…"

Kate felt a hand on her thigh, her eyes meeting the concerned blue of Rick's momentarily before she looked back to the children gazing at her.

"Are they coming to stay with us?" Alexis asked, her hands linked in front of her on the table, her expression serious but soft. Kate smiled inwardly to herself, thinking of just how much like she resembled her as a child.

"Yes, Lex, they are," she agreed, nodding.

"For how long?" David interrupted; now up on his knees, hands on the table.

Kate sighed; the length of time was still in the air, and she wasn't sure how the kids would deal with sharing their parents. They had enough trouble doing it amongst themselves, let alone with others.

"We're not sure yet; until they find a relative for them to live with," Kate said, as the doorbell rang.

"Is that them?" asked the little redhead, who was already pushing herself out of her chair, making for the door.

"Alexis, let Mommy answer it, okay?"

Kate stood slowly, taking her crutches as she went, nodding a thank you to Rick as Alexis made her way back over to the table.

"Right, kids, upstairs, get dressed, brush your teeth then be back down quick smart!" Kate instructed, as the scraping of chairs filled the room, "And you're all to help Daddy with the dishes!"

They quickly passed their breakfast things to their father, who was piling them systematically in the sink, as Kate headed for the front door. By the time she reached it, the kids were upstairs and Rick was taking Elise to the bedroom to get her ready.

Opening the door, she was met with a nervous looking Andy and three fearful faces of little girls.

"Hi there," she greeted, smiling warmly at both her brother and the girls, who hesitantly walked in at Kate's gesture. She heard a quiet gasp from one of them, as their matching brown eyes darted around the apartment.

Andy gave a nod as he followed them in, closing the door behind him then turning to Kate.

"They're terrified," he whispered, "all of them."

"Have they been speaking?" Kate asked, looking between the girls, who were standing about awkwardly, and her brother.

"No, nothing past 'hello' and 'thank you' anyway," he added with a sigh.

Kate nodded, turning to the three youngsters and heading over slowly, smiling.

"Are you girls hungry?" she asked, looking between them. The oldest, Tina, was peering cautiously at Kate, both her arms secured around her sisters' shoulders. The middle one, five-year-old Stefanie, was frightened, her eyes wide and darting from point to point. The youngest at three, Isabella, was looking about curiously, her eyes widening, her face brightening as she took in new things.

They all nodded, each with varying intensity, before Kate held out an arm toward the dining table.

"Why don't you guys take a seat over there, and I'll get you some breakfast, okay?" Kate said, as the three obliged. Isabella practically skipped over, held back only by a wary Tina, while Stefanie shuffled nervously to her seat.

"Kate?"

Turning back to her brother, she saw the weariness in his expression, sighing at the sight,

"Andy, if you need to go, go," she demanded, inclining her head toward the door, "I'm fine here, really."

"Kate, I will never be able to thank you enough for this," he breathed, moving to pull her into a hug. She wasn't used to an overly touchy-feely Andy; it wasn't exactly his thing, but she took it willingly.

"Go on, get out of here," she added with a laugh, smiling after him as he let himself out. Slowly, she began to head back to the table, noticing how each of the brown eyes were on her.

Leaving her crutches at the bench, she managed to hobble around and pull together the last bits of bacon they'd saved for the girls, make a few more pieces of toast and scramble up some eggs. She'd checked their medical reports; none had any allergies, which Kate was thankful for. None of her own kids had any, so it would have been an interesting experience trying to explain to them why they couldn't have something.

Gently placing the food on plates, she managed to move all three plates over at once. She laid one in front of each of them, all murmuring a quiet thank you to her, and again when she handed over their cutlery.

"Thank you Mrs. Castle!" was the exuberant reply from Isabella, who began to tuck into the eggs. Her easiness led the other girls to relax a little more, as Kate nodded a welcome to the young girl, allowing them to eat in peace.

"Mommy, I'm dressed!"

The loud voice that accompanied a bundle of red hair came ambling down the stairs, pausing only to smile at the three girls at the table.

Kate took up her crutches once again, heading over to Alexis who was moving quickly from the stairs.

"Hey, Lexi?" she began quietly, the little girl nodding, "I'm gonna go help the boys; make the girls feel at home, okay?"

Alexis nodded excitedly, beaming, as Kate watched her skip over to the table, taking her usual seat which happened to be beside Tina.

"Hi there!" Alexis greeted, smiling brightly at each of them. Tina gave a small smile, Stefanie a little more cautious, while Isabella let out a full-blown "Hello!" with a wave.

"I'm Alexis," she added, "I'm five. What are your names?"

"Isaaaabeeellaaaaa!" grinned the three-year-old, clambering onto her knees and holding out a hand with three fingers, "I'm _this_ many!"

"Lucas is _almost_ three; in March," Alexis explained.

"I nearly _four_!" Isabella exclaimed, giggling as Stefanie interrupted.

"No you're not, you only just turned three," she said, shooting a glare at her younger sister.

Alexis fought giggles as Isabella stuck out her tongue, while Tina beside her shook her head.

"They're _so_ annoying," she muttered to herself, causing Alexis to raise an eyebrow, but she brushed it off.

"What about you?" she asked, looking to Stefanie, who was gingerly picking at her eggs before she looked to Alexis.

"Steffie," she said, "I'm five."

"Same as me!" Alexis exclaimed, grinning, "What school do you go to?"

"P.S. 138 in East Harlem," she said quietly, "I'm in Kindergarten."

"I'm in Kindergarten too, but I go to Greendale Elementary," Alexis explained, before turning to Tina, "what grade are you in?"

"None of your business," she replied angrily, narrowing her eyes at the young redhead, whose eyes widened.

"Okay, you don't have to say if you don't want me to know," Alexis said, "but I should at least know your name, or else I won't know what to call you."

"My name's Tina," she replied curtly, "but that's _all_ you'll find out."

"Tina, don't be so nasty," Steffie growled, glaring at her older sister, who rolled her eyes.

Footsteps on the stairs caused all four heads to turn, as Kate came down the stairs with Lucas and David in tow, both giggling. Alexis hopped up and ran over to her brothers, who were already on their way over to her. They whispered to one another quickly, before looking to the girls at the table, smiling.

"Do you want to play?" David asked, holding up the box that was in his hands, holding the _Disney_ version of Trivial Pursuit in his hands.

"Yup, yup, yup!" came the reply from Isabella, who was already bouncing off of her seat, gasping at a picture on the box, "That's Cindy-rella!"

Alexis giggled at the little girl, holding out her hand to her, which she took readily, "Come on, Isabella, we'll go get the good chairs!"

Skipping over, she led the little girl to the couch, jumping onto the cushions that adorned the left side, waiting for the others to join them.

David walked right up to the corner of the table between Steffie and Tina, holding up the box.

"You coming?" he asked, grinning. Steffie nodded excitedly, wearing her first smile of the day, as she hopped off her seat and followed a beckoning Lucas, while David turned on her sister.

His grin disappeared at the acidity in her expression, but he pursued anyway, "You gonna play?"

"No," she said curtly, "that game is for children."

"But you _are_ a child," David said, "Momma says you're eight."

"It's for _little_ kids and babies!" she exclaimed, "And I'm _not_ a baby."

"But Elise is a baby, and she can't play," David reasoned, "she's too small."

"I'm just NOT playing!"

"It's not nice to shout," David murmured, looking at his feet, as Kate appeared behind Tina.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, looking sympathetically at her son and questioningly at their oldest ward.

"Fine," she added curtly, looking away from the young boy and back to her empty plate.

David bit his lip as he looked at his mother, who inclined her head toward the living room, sending him on his way to play with the others.

He went willingly, chatting excitedly as Alexis helped him put the DVD in the player, taking the remote as they all sat around the board, which Steffie was setting up with Lucas and Isabella.

Kate smiled to herself, before she pulled up the chair beside Tina. The young girl's eyes drifted sideways, but she didn't move an inch.

"Tina, sweetie," Kate began, pushing the plate aside, turning her body to face her, "I know this must be hard for you; losing your parents."

A sniff escaped the young girl, who annoyingly wiped away a tear, looking away from the adult beside her.

"Your sisters are still too young to understand," she continued, "and they probably won't be as affected by this as you are. At least, not right away."

"Why are you trying to help me?" Tina asked, her voice shaking and quiet, "Nobody has ever tried to help me before."

"Well, maybe you just didn't need it until now," Kate reasoned, reaching out a hand to take the one Tina left on the table, "you've always had someone before all of this."

Tina shook her head defiantly, lowering her eyes to the floor before raising them again to look at Kate. They were filled with tears, but Kate noticed they were not the deep brown of her younger sisters; they were closer to a golden shade, almost hazel.

"Linda wasn't really my Mom," she said, snuffling, "They always made me pretend she was, because she 'loved' me."

"You don't think she really did?" Kate asked, receiving a head shake.

"She liked the look of me," Tina explained, "she wanted to show me off because I had golden hair and golden eyes. Not like Steffie or Bella; they look just like my Dad."

Kate smiled at the way she spoke of her sisters and her father, as if they were royalty or superheroes. It reminded her of how protective she was of her own siblings when they were growing up, not allowing anyone to look at them sideways.

"When Dad and her split up, she only wanted me; she was going to leave Stef and Bel with Dad," Tina continued, "but I told her if they were staying with Dad, so was I, because she wasn't really my Mom. And then, she got angry."

Kate felt her heart break for the little girl; she was reminded so much of herself in Tina, and couldn't imagine having the strength to look out for herself and her sisters after such an incident at only eight years old.

"She took us all, just so she could make Dad feel like dirt," she added, "then she would treat us like we were animals, yell at us, hurt us; the only time we smiled was when we were at Dad's."

"Why didn't you tell someone?" Kate asked, her other hand finding Tina's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Laughter played in the background, Kate's eyes flicking momentarily to the kids in the living room before returning to the young girl beside her.

"I couldn't," she sobbed, both her hands coming up to her face, "she said she'd hurt us more if we said anything, and, a-and I j-jus-s-st c-couldn't l-let Stef-f and B-Bella get hurt."

By the end, she was bawling, her head in her hands. Wrapping both arms around the girl, Kate pulled Tina into her, letting her sob into her shoulder, stroking her hair as she sat.

"Shh, you're okay," she whispered, "you're safe now, okay?"

Tina's blonde hair pulled back and her golden eyes were gazing, red and wet up at Kate.

"Do you hear me?" Kate reiterated, "You, Steffie and Bella are going to be okay. Okay?"

Sniffing, Tina nodded, letting a small smile etch across her lips, "Okay."

Kate grinned in return, pulling the small girl into her arms once more, squeezing her tight. She may not be keeping her forever, but while she was here, she was going to make sure she was happy, safe and smiling.

**X X X X X**

**Okay guys, so tell me what you think! Hope you like!**

**Kayla x**


	11. Chapter 11

**Righty-ho, chappy chap chapter!**

**X X X X X**

After some pushing, Tina sat with the younger kids in the living room, the game in full swing, while Rick and Kate stood in the kitchen, Elise in her father's arms as Kate moved about to prepare lunch. She had quite the party today; not only were the three Freidman girls her guests, but Martha was also going to be gracing the Castle loft with her presence. It wasn't that Rick didn't enjoy having his mother around; she was just a handful, even more so, in his opinion, than wrangling four young children.

Elise was mimicking words of objects in the kitchen along with Rick, while Kate bustled about as best she could, throwing various bits of food about in attempt to get something together. She had started far later than she should have, and she was beginning to feel the pressure.

"Kate?"

Turning, she was met with the worried eyes of her husband, the baby in his arms leaning on her head on his shoulder, her eyes droopy with sleep. Until now, she hadn't noticed, but on pausing, Kate realized she was panting, possibly from moving too quickly. She felt the throbbing in her leg return, as well as the sweat beads on the side of her head drip down her face.

"Are you alright?" Rick asked, placing a snoozing Elise in her nearby play crib before moving in beside Kate. Reaching a hand up, she pinched the bride of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to shake the feeling of lightheadedness she suddenly had.

"Uh, I uh…" she murmured, taking a few deep breaths before she slowly let her eyes flutter open, the rare sunlight causing her to squint and keel unexpectedly. Luckily, Rick's arms were quick to be around her, and she felt herself crash into his body, her reflexes too slow to even get her arms up. Her nose was crushed against his collarbone; she let out a cry of pain, as weight landed on her injured leg, causing her to fall further.

"Whoa, Kate, hey there…"

Rick guided her to a dining chair, lowering her slowly into her seat, pulling up his own to be beside her. He refused to move more than a few inches from her side, watching her sway in her place, her panting becoming more labored by the minute.

"Kate, I'm calling an ambulance," Rick said, pulling his cell out of his pocket. Normally, Kate would have objected; she was adamant, in most cases, that she would be fine, even if it was clear she needed professional medical help.

But today, she did not try and stop him. Instead, she nodded, letting herself fall again into his embrace, as he dialed 911.

**X X X X X**

Needless to say, lunch at the Castles was canceled, as Rick sat in the hospital waiting room with his own children and their three wards. They were sitting on the ground in a circle, a packet of crayons and a giant piece of cardboard folded between them. The only exception was Elise, who was sitting on Rick's lap, quietly watching her siblings on the ground.

"Rick!"

A voice echoing in the corridor turned all the heads, Rick standing almost instantly, clutching Elise in his arms. He started eagerly for Lizzie, who was moving as fast as she possibly could under the circumstances, Reid tailing her with Scott in his arms.

"Oh, god, is she okay?" she sobbed, throwing her arms around her brother-in-law. Rick fought tears of his own as he pulled her close, letting her head fall onto her shoulder, her chest heaving.

"They don't know yet," Rick said, watching Lizzie pull back and gaze incredulously at him, "they won't say anything."

"How are the kids?" she asked, looking over to her niece and nephews on the floor, flashing a quizzical look at the three she did not recognize.

"Uh, they're not too sure what's going on," Rick said with a sigh, looking to Elise, "especially this one. But, she knows something's up."

Lizzie gave a small smile to the little eight-month-old, who was solemn and quiet in her father's arms.

"Utterly deceptive, just like her Daddy," she murmured, her attention back on the three unknown youngsters on the ground. Rick followed her gaze, his eyes landing on Tina, who was intermittently glancing sideways at her elders.

"They're wards of the state," Rick explained, "their parents were both killed, so Kate agreed to take them on until family could be found."

Lizzie nodded, a look of understanding and admiration across her face. Shaking her head, she moved to the nearest seat, Reid following close behind with Scott. Grunting, she managed to lower herself onto the seat, muttering something to a worried Reid.

Shrugging it off, Rick turned his attention to the tugging on his sweater, looking down to see Lucas by his side.

"Daddy, is Momma gonna be okay?" he asked quietly, his tiny voice shaking as he spoke. Elise began to fuss in his arms, squealing quietly as her little blue eyes searched the room. Her body began to shake as sobs erupted from the small girl.

"Momma!" she demanded, over and over, as Rick moved to a seat, bouncing her on his knee in an attempt to soothe her, while Lucas followed him expectantly.

"Lucas, buddy, go play, okay?" Rick pleaded, watching tears pool in his son's eyes.

"What about Momma?" he asked, his voice turning into an almost shout.

"Lucas, honey," Lizzie intervened, looking between a flustered Rick and his upset son, "we have to wait for the doctor, okay?"

Giving a small though unconvinced nod, Lucas continued to look at his aunt with a questioning look, her hands finding his that were now resting gently on her knees.

"When the doctor comes, he'll tell us about Momma, okay?" she explained, "But we don't know yet; we just have to wait."

"Maybe not," Rick cut in, looking quickly to Lizzie before all eyes in the room fell on the gentlemen in the white coat heading toward them. So far (and hopefully for good) this would be the second time a doctor had approached Rick looking the way he did. In his opinion, he wondered just how many more solemn-looking doctors he'd have to endure.

**X X X X X**

**Sorry this is so disgustingly short, even when I've had so long to write it. Honestly, I haven't been in the greatest mood for writing, but I thought I'd keep you entertained. Oh, and sorry for the cliffhanger!**

**Kayla x**


	12. Chapter 12

"Mr. Castle?"

Standing immediately, Rick gave a quick, agonizing look to Lizzie, who simply nodded. Holding out her arms, she took little Elise from her panic-stricken father, resting the baby girl on her knee, just shy of Lucas' hand.

Rick was quick to follow the doctor down the hallway amidst concerned and fearful looks from his children. They paused in a vacant area, the doctor pulling out his clipboard, which, Rick could see, was covered in scribbles and scrawls.

"Is she going to be okay?" Rick asked the minute they were alone, his voice sounding shakier and less-controlled than he meant it to.

"Yes," the doctor consoled, with a small smile, "she will make a full recovery."

Rick almost collapsed in relief; although, this was the second time he was told she'd be fine, and that fact didn't hold a lot of confidence in Rick's mind.

"I do, however, have some questions for you," he continued, "When she was originally consulted, was she put on any medications?"

"Uh…"

Thinking back, he remembered the extensive list of things he'd had to remember back in the Hamptons. It seemed like so long ago.

"They, uh, they gave her pain meds and some antibiotics," Rick began, "I don't know what kind but, uh, I guess they couldn't give her much more than that."

Nodding, the doctor scrawled; the silence was unnerving to Rick, it gave him too much time to ponder possibilities. As for the doctor, his notes were made at the very top of the page, so it seemed they still had a fair amount to cover.

"Now, aside from her pregnancy, is there any other medical conditions that your wife may have that you know of?" he asked, to which Rick shook his head. Aside from recent events, and practically the whole time he'd known Kate, she'd been extremely healthy.

"Good, good," he murmured, scrawling again, "Now, in regard to her current condition, she is stable, but she needs monitoring."

"Doc, what exactly is going on with her?" Rick asked worriedly, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The doctor opened his mouth to speak, when the sound of running footsteps and a voice recognizable to Rick came rushing toward them.

"Rick! Oh, god, Rick!"

Johanna Beckett came racing toward him, her face wet with tears, as she flung her arms around her son-in-law. Wordless sympathies were exchanged in the embrace, as Rick also gave an acknowledging look to Jim Beckett, who was following close behind. Though he was not overcome with tears, his grave expression was enough to know they probably wouldn't be far behind.

The doctor, who looked annoyingly between Rick and Kate's parents, sighed in an attempt to gain their attention.

"This is Jim and Johanna Beckett," Rick explained coldly, a flicker of discomfort yet understanding in the solemn doctor's eyes, "Kate's parents."

Nodding, he referred back to his clipboard, Johanna breaking apart from Rick to stand with her husband. All three looked impatiently at the doctor, who was taking his precious time in continuing.

"The injury she sustained in the car accident had become infected," he began, "which means either her antibiotics weren't strong enough or she was neglecting them."

Beside him, Rick saw Johann roll her eyes, a glimmer of humor reaching his features as well; Kate was never one to accept medication willingly, under any circumstance.

"Either way, we'll be issuing new medication –"

"And it won't harm the baby?" Rick cut in, the doctor shaking his head while Johanna and Jim looked on, confused. Giving them a sideways look, he could see their uncertainty.

"No, they shouldn't harm it, but if you have any concerns at any time, I'm happy to help," the doctor added, "as for her leg, we're taking the brace off completely. To me, having it means the wound is being redressed properly once it comes off, and more often than not, that is another cause for infection as well."

Rick nodded slowly, as the words soaked into his mind. It had been an interesting day already, and things weren't getting any better.

"The injury itself," he continued, "the ligament and muscle damage, is actually coming along quite nicely. She seems to be able to follow her orders pretty well."

A quiet smirk from all three left the doctor raising his eyebrow, chuckling awkwardly to himself before he spoke again.

"Anyway, like I said, any questions, just give me a call, but I'll be back for you in just a moment."

Handing over a manila folder to Rick, he raised a hand in farewell, before heading off down the hall. Opening it, he found prescriptions, care brochures, information on symptoms and which things to get.

_Wow, _was all Rick could muster, even in his head.

"So she's going to be okay?" Jim asked, his arm tight around his wife's shoulder relaxing as Rick nodded.

"By the looks of this, yeah, she's going to be fine," Rick added with a smile, looking to Johanna. There was a glint in her eye; the very same one Kate had most of the time, when she wanted an explanation for…something.

"So, when exactly should I be expecting my next grandchild?"

**X X X X X**

In the bland hospital room, Kate was half-sitting, half-laying on her bed, her eyes flicking between the beeping machine beside her and the leads coming out of her arms. She'd been told her condition wasn't serious, that this was just a precaution for herself and the baby. But that didn't stop her from worrying.

She refused to sob aloud; she instead let silent tears fall down her face, as a hand rested gently on her stomach, the other furiously wiping away at the tears as the door opened.

It was Dr. Reynolds. When he'd left before, he'd said he was off to talk to her family. Here he was returning to her room without them.

"Hey, Doc?" she began, her voice weak and raspy, "Thought you said you were talking to my family?"

Sighing, he fussed over a few of her appendages, checking leads and numbers and charts before he replied.

"Yes, I did speak to them," he said, "but I have one more shot to give you before –"

"Please, no more needles or drugs or anything pumped into me," Kate said quickly, though albeit a little slurred, "The baby!"

"Kate, we've been through this," he said calmly, a hand on her shoulder, "the baby is fine, but you are not. We need to fix you to keep the baby healthy."

"So fix me drug-free!" she demanded, still quiet but more agitated.

Standing with another sigh, a wave of yielded concern washing over him, "Unfortunately, Kate that isn't going to happen."

"Doc, it was the drugs that caused this in the first place," Kate reminded pointedly, as she slowly sat up a little higher in her seat. As he spoke, Dr. Reynolds adjusted her bed so she was more comfortable.

"Kate, I understand it was frightening to think that the medication you had could have been harming your unborn," he explained, "but the thing to do would have been calling me, not deciding that you wouldn't take them anymore."

"If I had kept taking them, the baby –"

"Kate, please," he said, standing and holding out a hand, "we both know the situation, and we both know that it's resolved. Your new medication –"

"I don't want it."

"Mrs. Castle –"

"I'm still Beckett."

"Well, Mrs. Beckett then," he began again, more forcefully this time, leaving Kate sighing in defeat, "you will take your medication every day like you are supposed to. You will attend regular check-ups to avoid any issues with both your injury and your baby. Is that clear?"

Kate nodded in a huff, smoothing out the covers to avoid meeting Dr. Reynolds' triumphant look. She wondered why doctors always had to be so smug when they were right.

"So, who shall I send in first?" he asked, waiting by the door for her reply. She contemplated for a moment; really, it should be Rick and the kids, but in the back of her mind, she had a burning question for someone else.

"Can you send in Lizzie?" Kate asked, "My sister?"

Dr. Reynolds eyed her quizzically at the sudden seriousness in her tone, but nodded nonetheless.

"I'll be right back."

In the few minutes the doctor was gone, Kate thought about whether this kind of confrontation was really such a good idea. When she thought about it, the fear had caused radio silence, with nothing at all being conversed. She wondered how on earth they would cope with it.

She got so lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed the door moving, and didn't look away from a spot on the wall until a bright blue baby bump entered the room, followed by a half-concerned, half-amused Lizzie.

"Katie, why is it always _you_ in the hospital bed?" she asked, thanking the doctor as the door was shut after her. She headed eagerly to the seat beside Kate, sitting down with a relieved sigh. She was still only 33 weeks, but she was one _huge_ baby mama.

Shrugging, Kate gave a small smile, "I guess I'm just talented."

"Pfft, yeah," Lizzie added, laughing, "talented at getting yourself into trouble!"

Finishing their laughter with a sigh, the younger Beckett lifted her hand onto the bed, clutching her sisters tightly.

"You know, uh," she began, looking gravely toward Kate, "you gave us quite the scare here, Katie."

Feeling the hand on hers, Kate let her own fingers grasp Lizzie's, giving a gentle squeeze in return.

"Liz, you were the same a few weeks back," she reminded, her head rolling sideways, eyes glistening as she watched her little sister's green irises turn misty too.

Clearing her throat, Lizzie began shaking her head, "I should have told you sooner, but, uh, you know me. I hate confrontation."

Kate nodded slowly, turning away to consider her next words. Should she? Dare she? Or would it just open a can of worms that really should stay closed?

"Lizzie, uh…" she started, before pausing again, giving it a final once over in her mind before she blurted it out. That way, she couldn't stop herself.

"How did you do it?" she asked, her eyes meeting Lizzie's in a unique moment of understanding. They might have been worlds apart in their personalities, but they knew each other like a favorite song.

"How did you cope, thinking you'd lost your baby?"

**X X X X X**

**Dun Dun! **

**Haha, anyway, here's the next chapter, still not very long, but it's not as short as the last one :s **

**Hope it made your day or something silly like that (: And I also hope it cleared up a bit of the confusion, because NO, I did not forget about Lizzie's problem! I have it all planned out! At least, for a little while anyway…**

**Kayla x**


	13. Chapter 13

_How did you cope, thinking you'd lost your baby?_

**X X X X X**

Lizzie froze. It had been a hazard growing up, as Kate and Andy had both been utterly receptive of the people around them. Even worse for Lizzie, being the middle child.

Clearing her throat, she let her eyes fall to the floor, her hand resting on the bump that had caused her so much emotional turmoil in the last month.

"It's the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced," Lizzie finally murmured after a few moments of silence.

Kate reached for the hand of her sister, which was now resting on the side of her bed. Giving it a gentle squeeze, she heard a shaky sigh leave Lizzie, her free hand wiping away a tear as she looked back to her big sister.

"Look, Katie, I know I wasn't exactly…open about what was happening," she started, "but it's…it's okay now, it wasn't anything serious. Just, uh, just a little frightening is all."

"What happened?" Kate almost whispered, green eyes meeting each other in a moment of common understanding.

"We thought it was a miscarriage at first," Lizzie explained, emitting a forlorn sigh, "but, uh, when we got to the hospital, I was cleared, they just said that I had to be monitored by the midwives and be careful."

Kate was at a loss for words; she had no idea how frightening it would have been to think you could lose your baby. And, with knowledge of the problems Lizzie had had while pregnant with Scott, she knew there would be greater fears for the newest unborn child.

"But everything is going to be okay?" Kate asked worriedly, watching her teary sister nod with a small smile.

"Yeah, everything should be okay," Lizzie affirmed, "they, uh, they want to admit me as soon as possible, just to assuage any problems."

"C-section?"

The younger Beckett gave a solemn nod, "As much as I want a natural, they're saying it's too dangerous at this point."

Kate was surprised when, instead of continuing to frown, Lizzie's face broke into a smile as she shook her head.

"What?" she asked, watching her sister stroke her stomach adoringly, her eyes glued at the bump. Lizzie looked up slowly, grinning, tears in her eyes as she started to talk.

"When we went for the ultrasound last week," she began, "we got a little, uh, surprise."

Cocking her head, Kate continued to gaze at her smiley sister, who, despite being beckoned to continue, remained silent.

"Wait, _please_ don't tell me you're having twins!" Kate cried, laughing as Lizzie's eyes widened with a strong head shake.

"Oh gosh no!" she exclaimed, "I don't think I'd still be sane if I found out I was having twins!"

"Don't worry, I would be thinking the same thing," Kate agreed, nodding. Lizzie however, scoffed loudly.

"Yeah, but I've only got one, not _four_," she said, "could you imagine you and Rick if you had six children?"

"Oh god, no, four going on five is enough for me!"

The two sisters laughed together for a moment, a knock on the door becoming a momentary distraction. It was the doctor, who grinned at the sight of the laughing girls, before inching his way into the room, a box of pills in his hand. Kate groaned as they were set down in front of her with a bottle of water, watching the amusement in Dr. Reynolds eyes as she quickly downed them.

"Now, your husband and children are getting anxious out there," he began, taking the plastic box back, but leaving the water bottle behind, "I'm going to send them in, but unfortunately, Mrs. Dwyer, I'm going to have to ask you to step out, or the room is going to be too crowded."

Chuckling, Lizzie nodded, taking the doctor's hand as she slowly moved to stand, giving a wink to Kate as she did.

"You still have to tell me about your little surprise," Kate called after her, as she headed for the door. Playfully, Lizzie gave her head a gentle slap, rolling her eyes at her sister's insistence. On occasion, it was a handy thing, but the rest of the time, it was just annoying.

"We're having a little princess this time around!"

**X X X X X**

"Mommy!"

The unanimous cry from Alexis, David and Lucas left Kate speechless and beaming as they each scrambled up onto the bed, careful to avoid her injured leg as instructed by their father.

"Hello my little munchkins!" she exclaimed, laughing along with her children who were now being smushed by her cuddling.

"Momma, you're squashing us!" Alexis cried, silence falling from the three youngsters as Rick moved to stand beside the bed, Elise in his arms.

"Momma!" the baby cried, her arms reaching and grasping for her mother, before she was gently lowered onto the bed with her siblings. Once seated, Elise spent a few moments gently patting her hand on Kate's cheek, giggling as her mother blew raspberries on her fingers.

"Mommy, are you coming home?" David asked, his little blue eyes staring right into hers, the severity in his gaze bringing tears to her eyes.

"Yeah, sweetie, I am," she said, words which brought smiles to all the faces in the room, "But Daddy has to look after me."

"I'll look after you too, Momma!" Lucas exclaimed excitedly, Alexis and David incoherently crying out in agreement. Laughing quietly, Kate let them all fall into her arms, holding them tight as her eyes fell on Rick.

"How are the other girls?" she asked , the children on her bed listening intently, looking from their mother to their father as Rick began to speak.

"They're doing…okay, I guess," he murmured, looking worriedly at the children, Alexis piping up unexpectedly.

"Tina said she doesn't want anything bad to happen to you," the five-year-old interjected, "and Bella was crying."

"Well, maybe soon you should go and tell them that I'm okay," Kate added with a smile, Alexis herself grinning brightly.

"You'll be able to do it yourself," Rick said, "Dr. Reynolds had me sign the release forms while Lizzie was in here."

"What does that mean?" Lucas asked, looking between his parents eagerly, before Alexis cut in yet again.

"It means she's coming home, Lukey!" the young redhead cried happily, giggling as her little brother's face split into a wide smile.

"But we're going home with Auntie Lizzie!" David exclaimed, Alexis sighing exaggeratedly.

"Yeah, but Mommy is going with Daddy!" she explained, before hopping off the bed and walking right up to Rick's feet, amidst giggles from Kate, "Isn't that right, Daddy?"

"That's exactly right, Pumpkin," Rick managed without laughter, sidestepping past his oldest daughter to reach for his youngest, who was beginning to snooze on her mother's lap.

"Come on kids," Rick added, "you guys are gonna go home with Auntie Lizzie, then Mommy and I will meet you there."

"Bye Mommy!" Alexis cried, throwing her arms around her smiling mother, who was equally embracing each of her three, incoherently talking children.

"I love you, Mommy," Lucas murmured in Kate's ear, giggling to herself as the pair of arms around her waist belonging to David squeezed a little harder.

"David, sweetie, don't squeeze too hard –"

"Yeah, David, you might squish the baby!" Alexis cried, yanking her brother's arms from around their mother, causing his arm to fly out angrily, striking her on the side of the head.

"David, keep your hands to yourself!" Kate scolded, only a moment too late, watching her daughter give a forceful shove to her son.

"Ow, Alexis stop it!"

"Well don't hit me!"

"Don't push me!"

"Don't hit me!"

"Alexis, David, that's enough!" Rick scolded, both children's eyes falling on their father, but their voices not pausing.

"But Daddy, she pushed me!"

"He hit me!"

"That is _enough_!" Kate cried, her outburst leaving her family shocked and silent.

"Now, I don't want to hear any more arguing," she added, "or some little children will be grounded."

There were murmurs of apology and acknowledgement from Alexis and David, before they climbed solemnly off the bed, nestling below the arms of their father silently. Lucas gave her a final, tight hug before he too joined his siblings.

"Say goodbye to Mom, kids," Rick added, "You'll see her later."

"Bye Mommy!" Lucas called, as David and Alexis peeked up from their low-lying gazes.

"Bye Momma," David murmured, while Alexis offered a small wave, both of them avoiding their mother's eyes.

As they walked out the door, Kate was left smiling at the sight of the eight-month-old Elise waving and smiling in her daddy's arms.

**X X X X X**

**Heya; sorry this took so long. Check my bio for the reason, cos I do have one!**

**Kayla x**


	14. Chapter 14

Things had taken a lot longer at the hospital than Kate had anticipated, meaning night had long fallen by the time she hobbled back into the loft. Sighing, she heard the door latch shut behind her, feeling her husband's presence at her shoulders. Slowly, her coat was pulled from her frame, and she began to move forward into the kitchen, her crutches clunking on the floor as she did so.

The loft was quiet, a note on the bench telling Kate that the kids had been safely in bed at 7:30pm, while Lizzie and Reid, who were house-sitting while the Castles were absent, retired at 9:00pm. Moving her gaze to the clock, Kate groaned when she read the digits, knowing that almost midnight was entirely past her bedtime.

"You okay?" Rick murmured, meeting her at the bench, a hand reaching up and resting atop her shoulder, his thumb gently massaging out the tension between her neck and her shoulders. Kate sighed again, nodding as she leaned back into him, her eyes sliding shut.

"Come on, Kate," Rick urged quietly, giving her a gentle nudge into the living room. It took her a significant amount of effort to open her eyes again, and even more to keep them that way long enough to make it across the loft and into their bedroom. Her medication had left her drowsier than usual, as had the extensive time she'd spent at the hospital. All in all, she was absolutely exhausted, and had no aversion to collapsing onto her bed, smiling to herself at just how soft and comfortable her bed was compared to hospital beds.

Kate was startled when several pieces of fabric were dropped on top of her face, her eyes snapping open to find Rick grinning at her from across the room. Without speaking, she sent a final glare in the direction of her husband before he disappeared, chuckling, into the bathroom.

She was able to change quickly, despite her fatigued state, and was soon heading into the bathroom after Rick. He stood at the sink, having just finished brushing his teeth, leaning on his palms, almost nose to nose with his reflection in the mirror.

He silently acknowledged his wife's presence, accepting the arms that wrapped around his waist as she reached him, her head resting comfortably between his shoulder blades. From here, she could feel his breath, entering and leaving his body slowly, the shudder of his body when he coughed gently.

Slowly, he stood straight, as Kate sidestepped to begin her own nightly ritual. With a grin from Rick and a kiss on her temple, he gave her arm a gentle squeeze before heading into the bedroom. Removing her make-up and brushing her teeth in record time, Kate twisted her hair into a bun on the top of her head, sighing.

Hobbling back to her room, she fell sideways with a groan onto the sheets, where Rick was already seated, boxers only, jotting a few things in the pad he kept beside his bed. Slowly rearranging herself, she let her head rest in his lap, her free hand resting on his thigh. She felt his hand resting on the side of her head, the pen he was holding gently tapping just above her ear.

"Rick?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you not?"

His eyes fell on her, then on the pen that had now stopped its tapping, before he offered a goofy grin as he replaced the notepad in its home.

"Sorry," Rick murmured, his now pen-less hand stroking the side of her head softly. Kate, who was now nearly falling asleep, shuffled, removing herself from her husband's lap and positioning herself on her side of the bed, facing away from Rick. If she were honest, her intentions for facing the bathroom rather than Rick were not entirely so she may fall asleep.

Granted, he was extremely receptive. As the light in the room disappeared, she felt his body push right up against hers, ankles intertwining as a hand flopped down over her stomach. It wasn't long, amidst Rick's face nuzzling the back of her hair and his fingers tracing lines on her stomach, that Kate felt herself slipping into the depth of slumber.

**X X X X X**

Knowing she'd had only a few hours sleep, Kate slowly untangled herself from her snoring husband's grasp as she headed to the kitchen. Before she'd gone to bed, she had meant to fix herself a glass of water, but all thoughts of nourishment had left her when she realized how tired she actually was.

Still, at 4am, she wasn't exactly expecting to find anyone awake in the Castle loft, and the silence as she made her way down the hall affirmed to her that she was in fact the only person up at this hour.

It was this thought she carried with her as she made her way through the living room, and left her surprised to find Lizzie and Reid, the latter holding their son, in the kitchen. The small light was on, and Reid had a phone at his ear, while Lizzie appeared distressed and in pain.

"Liz, what's going on?" Kate asked worriedly, all tiredness immediately leaving her body as she rushed to the side of her little sister. Lizzie's face was in one palm, while the other was resting gingerly on her 36 week bump. There were tears on her cheeks, as Kate realized Reid was dialing for an ambulance.

"Lizzie, sweetie, talk to me," Kate urged, pulling up a chair and letting an arm fall around the shoulders of her sister, "what's wrong?"

She felt Lizzie's body wince under her, the hand under her forehead flying to her stomach with a vengeance, a quiet grunt escaping her. Kate began to stand, the glass of water she'd been thinking of earlier now needed by a more vulnerable cause.

However, before she could make it very far, Lizzie's hand grasped Kate's forearm, squeezing it tighter than was entirely comfortable for the older Beckett sister.

"Liz, I'm just gonna get you a glass of water, okay?" Kate murmured, pushing a lock of hair behind the younger woman's ear, noting it was wet from sweat. As Lizzie nodded, Kate began to move past Reid, wordlessly offering then taking a distressed Scott from his arms. Clearly, Reid and Lizzie were terrified, knowing that they'd had problems with both the current pregnancy and also previously with Scott. The sound of them quietly conversing, softly reassuring each other quietly now that Reid was off the phone was almost enough to make her smile. Though, Kate imagined they were far from comforted, knowing that the fear and stakes were high.

In her arms, Scott began to fuss, becoming fidgety and noisy, his eyes not resting on Kate, but rather on his parents.

"Momma!" he demanded, reaching out of his aunt's arms, but, thanks to Kate's extensive training wrangling children of her own, she was able to hold on to him and salvage the glass of water in her hand.

"Here you go, sweetie," Kate said, sliding the glass toward her sister, who was looking even more distressed than before.

"Thanks, Katie," Lizzie choked, her shaking hand guiding the glass slowly to her mouth, a small sip before it was back on the table.

"When's the ambulance coming?" Kate asked, knowing Reid was a smart man; he was able to work well under pressure.

"They said it'd be ten minutes," Reid muttered, taking an eager Scott from a reluctant Kate.

"Reid, are you sure you don't want him to stay here?" Kate asked, "Let him sleep, then I can bring him later today."

"No, that's not –"

"Yes, Katie, thank you," Lizzie interjected, a pleading look at her husband who sighed in defeat. Still, he didn't relinquish his son to his sister-in-law, instead letting him sit in the seat beside his mother, his head resting against her shoulder.

"Baby soon?" Scott asked, his hand gently resting on his mother's belly, careful as he could.

Taking a step back, Kate reveled in the moment for the small family. True, Kate and Rick had always wanted lots of kids, and, with the fifth on the way, they had seemed to turn their dream to reality. Lizzie too had wanted a family, once joking she wanted 'enough for a soccer team'. But, Reid, the sensible and hardworking businessman knew that, with the lifestyle of himself and his wife, many children would not be feasible. They had since aimed for at least one boy and one girl.

Still, Kate had reason to believe that, even if this child had been a boy, they would not have tried again. Too much had gone wrong , and the threat of something more serious had always been there, but grew as time went on for poor Lizzie.

A knock on the door startled Kate, her feet moving faster than her mind to go and answer it. On the other side stood the paramedic, whom Kate let in without any hesitation, gesturing wordlessly to the young couple at the table.

"Mrs. Dwyer?" he asked, Lizzie nodding in confirmation, while Kate simply took Scott from a grateful Reid and stepped back. A few moments later, another paramedic let himself in the open door, unfolding a wheelchair in the open space of the living room.

Before long, Kate was standing at her apartment door, her nephew in her arms, waving goodbye to Lizzie and Reid as they waited in the elevator.

"Bye Momma!" Scott cried, waving exuberantly, as Lizzie gave her last smile to her son, blowing a kiss before she was escorted off to the hospital.

**X X X X X**

**I know, you all hate cliffhangers, especially when Lizzie and her dire health are involved, but that's all I can pump out tonight; sorry guys! I promise I will try and update this as soon as possible, hopefully tomorrow or by Wednesday (it's Sunday night right now, and 'Head Case' is just finishing it's Australian premiere :D ). **

**Review!**

**Kayla x**


	15. Chapter 15

Despite her best efforts, once Kate had put Scott back down in the upstairs nursery, she found it very difficult to get to sleep. She'd returned to her room to find Rick stirring, his arm absent-mindedly searching the empty space for his wife. To spare him from waking, Kate quickly tucked herself back under his arm, a content sigh leaving him before she slipped into a light, disturbed sleep.

**X X X X X**

Up before the rest of the house, Kate wandered up the stairs, rubbing her tired eyes as she went. Walking past the open doors of Alexis and Lucas' bedroom, she cottoned on to the chattering from behind the closed door of David's room. Smiling, she thought she'd let them have a few more minutes, the beginnings of whining from the nursery where Scott and Elise had spent the night.

Walking in, she found Elise standing in her crib, hands latched onto the sides, her face brightening as she squealed for her mother.

"Momma!" she cried, her hands grasping empty air, leaving her unassisted as she slowly fell back onto her bottom.

"Oh, silly Elise!" Kate cooed, reaching in to pluck her grinning girl from amongst her blankets. Once the girl was situated on her hip, she moved to peer into Scott's bed, finding the 19 month old still fast asleep.

She slowly pulled the door closed, Elise playing with the ends of her hair that had fallen out, as she made for the room where she could hear the six voices of the remaining children. Pushing the door gently open, she could only grin at the sight.

In the center of the room, both the Castle and Freidman children were sitting in a circle, all their eyes now resting on Kate in the doorway.

"Morning Mommy!" Alexis exclaimed, waving from her spot on the ground, an excited squeal from Elise replying to her sister.

"And Elise!"

Chuckling, Kate inclined her head toward the stairs, as the children began to stand, understanding the wordless instructions.

"Come on guys, let's have some breakfast," she continued, as the chattering munchkins made their way brightly past her, each of them smiling and giggling at something they'd obviously been talking about moments before she interrupted.

Following them downstairs, she was not entirely surprised to find Rick already standing behind the counter, throwing a few things onto the bench. It was a regular, school day, meaning the options rested at cereal or toast.

"Okay kids, what do we want for eats?" Rick asked, lining up a few boxes of cereal on the bench top, followed by a stack of bowls and a collection of spoons. Clearly, today was a cereal day in the Castle house.

"All of you need to help," Kate reiterated, placing Elise in the high chair nearby, as she began to help her husband pass out things for the breakfast. Granted, the climb up and down the stairs without her crutches had left her leg throbbing, but it wasn't sharp pain, just a dull, unrelenting ache.

As she laid a stack of placemats on top of the bench from the cupboard underneath, Tina took them eagerly, smiling at her warden as she headed for the table. All the children were carrying at least one thing to the table, Lucas and Bella carrying two cereal boxes each, Steffie and Alexis were in charge of the bowls and David was cradling the spoons.

Watching, Kate had to smile; they all worked so well with one another, as they conversed quietly while setting the table. Behind her, she could hear Rick organizing the pitcher of orange juice, a staple of any breakfast in the loft. Moments later, Kate was urging herself forward, milk cartons passed to her by Rick on her hands as she made for the table.

"Right, who is having what?" Kate asked, placing the milk by the cereal boxes, as a few tiny hands reached for the cereal in the center, Rick placing the juice just nearby.

"Momma, can you help me?" Lucas asked, his good hand clutching a box of Cheerios, before Bella piped up, both her hands joining his on the cardboard box.

"I'll help you, Lucas!" she exclaimed brightly, gently pulling open the box with the young Castle, before they collaboratively and carefully poured enough of the cereal into his bowl.

She moved across to David, who was having trouble with his Fruit Loops, Alexis nearby pushing a spoon across the table for her oldest brother. Rick was alongside Tina and Steffie, who were both filling their bowls from the Coco Pops box, while Alexis finished with her Rice Krispies.

Rick and Kate made the rounds, pouring milk on cereal, filling glasses with orange juice, before they let the kids eat their cereal in peace. He'd set the kettle to boil a few moments ago, and carefully slid a mug with a teabag across to Kate.

"Thanks," she said, taking it over to the opposite bench, feeling the warmth as she poured the boiling water over the teabag, watching it swell and infuse the water.

"Hey, Rick?" Kate began, moving back over to his side, the mug cradled in her hands, "What are we gonna do about the other girls?"

Of course, the situation with the Freidman girls was only temporary, but, without knowing how long this would go on for, they couldn't simply take them out of school, and Harlem was too far uptown for daily routine.

"I called Greendale, and explained what was going on," Rick began, "and they've agreed to take on Tina and Steffie for the time they're here."

"What about Bella?"

"The kindergarten offers casual care, so it's all good, Kate," he assured, leaning on his elbow to watch the thought in her eyes.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, as she lowered her mug to the bench, reaching for the phone.

"Uh, yeah, hopefully," she murmured, dialing the number for the hospital Lizzie had been taken to the night before. Before she hit the call button, she looked back to Rick, realizing he had no clue about this early morning's events.

"Rick, Lizzie went into the hospital last night," Kate explained, "She'd gone into labor."

"I thought they were going to get her in for a C-section before she could?"

"Well, obviously the baby has other ideas," Kate muttered, hitting call and waiting.

Standing straight, Rick took his coffee, squeezing her arm with his spare hand, a kiss on her temple, before he headed over to join the children.

"Hi, this is Kate Beckett, my sister was admitted last night," she began, the operator on the other line sounding positively enthralled.

"Elizabeth Dwyer, maternity," Kate continued, the woman transferring her to another line. The call tone went on for some time, longer than Kate thought was normal, before it clicked and a voice answered on the other end.

"_Hello?"_

"Lizzie!" Kate cried, the calm yet happily tired tone of her sister telling her she was either still on painkillers or things had gone well.

"_Hey Katie," Lizzie replied with a smile, her eyes drifting to her distracted husband beside her. She followed his gaze, becoming momentarily distracted herself, her sister's voice snapping her back to reality._

"Is everything okay?" Kate asked, concerned, peering sideways to see Rick intermittently looking over to her, his own worry unmasked.

"_Katie, everything is perfect," Lizzie murmured, resting the receiver of the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could gently stroke the soft skin of her sleeping daughter's forehead. _

"_She's so beautiful, Katie," she whispered, the baby's tiny eyelids fluttering before her arms started flailing, a quiet yet content squeal breaking the near silence._

"Oh, Lizzie, I'm so proud of you," Kate gushed, "Congratulations."

"_Thank you, sweetie," Lizzie replied, her attention caught momentarily by her little girl's adorable sneezes. Giggling quietly to herself, the woman sighed as she remembered the phone call she was in the middle of._

"_You'll have to come and see her later," she added._

"Of course I will, Liz," Kate agreed, finding herself grinning giddily, "have you picked out names?"

"_You have to wait until you get here," Lizzie added with a laugh, handing the still gurgling child to her husband, who was giving his best pining look._

"You haven't got one yet, have you?"

"_Well, we do, but I don't think Peter Alexander would really be appropriate," Lizzie replied, chuckling along with her older sister._

"Okay, I guess I can let it slide this time," Kate said, turning at the sound of Rick's voice, watching her partner begin to explain to the kids the school arrangements for the day. In the next second, he clapped, and they were all scampering brightly toward the stairs.

"_I highly doubt there'll be a next time, so I don't think I'll have to worry about it," Lizzie stated calmly. She knew, with the problems she'd experienced this time and last, there was too much of a risk to try again. It was for this reason she was ecstatic she would be picking out a name for a little girl this time around._

"True," Kate agreed, pressing the phone onto her shoulder to free up her hands; she had lunches to make!

"Did you end up having a C-section or was she born naturally?"

"_Oh, Katie, it was so close, but this one has a mind of its own!" Lizzie exclaimed, "She was out before we even considered the C!"_

"Just like her mother then?"

"_Pfft, just like her auntie!"_

"Hey!"

_Lizzie laughed aloud, watching Reid walk about the hospital room, whispering things to their daughter, an unrelenting smile pressed onto his face._

"How long after you left did you have her?" Kate asked, laying out twelve slices of bread, before she headed for the fridge, cold meat and salads being plucked out for the sandwiches.

"_Uh, what time did we get picked up?"_

"Around 4:30am?" Kate mused, "Maybe a bit earlier…"

"_Oh, well I had her at 5:47am," Lizzie replied, "so not too much over an hour after we got to the hospital."_

"You are so lucky for a short labor," Kate groaned, slapping the ham expertly on the bread, followed by the cheese slices, lettuce and tomato. Cucumber followed as she listened to Lizzie chuckle.

"_Sorry, miss-fourteen-hour-labor!"_

"Excuse me, it was sixteen hours for Alexis!"

"_Well, thank god they're getting shorter," Lizzie said, "this time, it might be over before you know it!"_

"God, I hope so!"

"_Well, sister dear, I better go, my daughter wants her Momma," Lizzie added, the smile audible in her voice._

"Okay, well, I'll call you when we're headed over."

"_Sounds good," Lizzie agreed with a nod, "And Kate? Thank you so much. I think Reid and I would have torn our hair out if you hadn't come out this morning."_

"My spidey senses must have been tingling."

"_That husband of yours is a bad influence!"_

"Just keeping you guessing!"

"_Go be a super Mom for crying out loud!"_

"Already doing it, six ham salad sandwiches while talking on the phone."

"_Good work, Katie!"_

"I try my best!"

"_Get out of here!"_

"Gladly!"

Both girls bade their farewells amongst laughter, as Kate placed the phone on the bench top, devoting her full attention to the lunch boxes she had to fill.

**X X X X X**

**Well, I hope that's to your liking! If you want to take a stab or make a suggestion as to the name of Lizzie's daughter, you can add it to your review!**

**Kayla x**


	16. Chapter 16

With six boxes lined up with drink bottles and name tags on the bench, Kate went to get herself and Elise ready for the day. Last night, as Lizzie and Reid had been in the guest room, Elise had stayed in there with Scott.

Walking into her bedroom, Elise was chattering quietly in words only the young girl could understand, looking to her mother every now and then with a questioning tone in her voice.

"Oh yeah?" Kate replied with a smile, chuckling quietly as Elise continued on with her conversation, stopping once she was sat on her mother's bed. It was a new experience for the little girl, who was usually in her crib or her parent's arms, and she was doing her best to explore the patterns of the bed sheets.

Keeping a close eye, Kate threw on some jeans, a sweater and twisted her hair into a bun on top of her head. Pulling out some clothes for Elise, she turned to the suspiciously quiet almost ten-month-old, who had made her way up to the cushions, the smaller ones leaving her giggling. Pulling them from their place, lifting them up and watching them flop in the air.

"What are you up to, missy?" Kate cooed, pausing what she was doing and heading for the bed, laying on her stomach, facing her daughter.

The baby girl had the corner of a cushion in each hand, both held as high as her hands would reach, before she released them, watching them plop on either side of her body. Elise shrieked excitedly, clapping her hands and kicking her legs, the momentum of her actions sending her falling backwards, her body flopping on the bed.

"Oh, Elise, you silly goose!" Kate exclaimed playfully, her hand reaching out to tickle the girl's stomach. Elise began to giggle manically, trying her hardest to roll over, her wide grin causing Kate to feel tears in her eyes. She let the baby roll back onto her belly, positioning herself up so she could crawl closer to her mother, a hand reaching up to Kate's cheek. Shifting into a sitting position, Elise's palm was flush against Kate's cheekbone, her bright blue eyes staring straight into hers. A moment of silent staring ensued, before Elise's attention was diverted, letting out a squeal of delight.

"Dadda!" she cried, her arms reaching for him before she started crawling eagerly for the bed's edge.

"My little Leesy!" Rick exclaimed, reaching down to scoop up the giggling baby girl in his arms, holding her tight and close to his chest, "I love you my little Leesy, I love you, love you, love you!"

Kate laughed herself at her husband's playful tone, standing and swaying a little as she regained her balance. Having one leg was slightly inconvenient at times.

"Careful, Miss Elise," Kate added just as playfully, "Or Daddy might squish you!"

Rick gasped animatedly, looking between his wife and daughter, "I could never squish my little Leesy!"

Rolling her eyes, Kate chuckled along with Rick, before he leant down, his lips catching hers in a soft, delicate kiss. Lasting only a moment, they were interrupted by a beckoning from the living room, coming from an excitable Alexis.

"Mommy, Daddy, we're ready!"

Laughing once again, Kate pointed to the clothes on the bed, "I got them out for Elise."

"Okay, I'll be out in five," Rick replied, a final peck before Kate hobbled out into the living room.

**X X X X X**

After they'd dropped off their munchkins at school and kindergarten, Kate and Rick were headed to the hospital. All morning, once he'd woken up, Scott had been antsy and insistent about going to see his parents and his new little sister.

Parking was the usual nightmare, but Rick managed to park the new SUV relatively close, while Kate had to park her own car further up the block. Walking up to meet her, Rick had a still and smiling Elise in his arms, while Kate was helping her nephew out of her vehicle.

"Now, Scott, you have to hold on to Uncle Rick's hand, okay?" Kate explained, resting on her crutches and locking the car. The little boy gave a curt nod, his anxiety and excitement mounting tenfold as they began to walk back to the hospital.

"Auntie Katie?" Scott began, "Is Momma okay?"

Kate looked down at the worried little boy, remembering that the last time he'd seen his mother, she'd had a terrified and pained demeanor.

"Momma's just fine, Scotty," Kate reassured with a smile, the tension seeming to lift momentarily.

The ride up to the maternity ward was quiet, aside from the occasional gurgle or grunt from Elise. Kate watched the floors slide away, before there was a quiet ding, and the doors thudded open. Moving out onto the floor, there was a nurse with a clipboard wandering around, her attention caught by the newest visitors.

"Hello there!" she greeted exuberantly, "Might I ask, are you Kate Beckett?"

Kate, although slightly taken aback that this unknown woman knew who she was, nodded.

"Your sister will be extremely happy to see you," she added, before gesturing for them to follow, as she bustled down the hall.

"Guess Lizzie alerted them to our presence," Rick said, readjusting Elise who was beginning to snooze on his shoulder.

"Yeah, probably," Kate replied with a laugh, before the nurse flourished her hand in the direction of an open door.

"They're right through there," she mentioned with a smile, bustling off in the opposite direction.

Scott was uncontainable when he saw his parents, calling out and running into his father's arms as fast as his little legs would take him. Reid was quick to take him over to the bed, where a grinning Lizzie was sitting, her eyelids drooping from exhaustion. Little Miss Dwyer was nowhere to be seen at this point, leaving Kate looking to her sister confused.

"The little one is back in the neo-natal unit," Lizzie explained, before her son was scrambling into her arms. Her weariness was still evident, but as was the immense joy Kate knew was felt by the little family.

"Momma, where's baby?" Scott asked, his voice both curious and concerned, tiny brown eyes scouring the room and his mother's expression.

"Baby's sleeping with all her friends," Lizzie answered, a pout escaping onto Scott's features.

"Wanna see baby!" he cried, not moving or sulking, simply toying on his mother's emotional vulnerability of the moment, the pout making way for a playful grin as Lizzie laughed.

"Of course we can see baby!" the young woman replied, watching in amusement as Scott ambled down from the bed, taking a hold of his father's hand and pulling toward the door.

"Whoa, hey, kiddo, slow down!" Reid said with a laugh, tugging Scott gently back toward the small, chuckling group, "We have to get Momma sorted first."

With a huffed sigh, Scott relented, moving to stand with Kate and Rick, while Reid headed for Lizzie, who was already pushing the covers back.

"You're already walking?" Kate asked in amazement, a wink being directed to her as Lizzie winced, the move to her feet causing her some discomfort.

"Ah, to the wheelchair over there is about as far as I go," Lizzie said with a chuckle, pointing to the chair behind the Castles. With a quick move, Rick was turning then pushing the chair closer to the invalid, a sigh of relief escaping Lizzie.

"Oh, thank you so much, Rick!" she gushed, groaning quietly to herself as she was lowered into the seat, beckoning for Scott to join her, "Come right up here, buddy!"

Scott rushed over to his Mom, climbing carefully yet eagerly onto her lap, grinning at his daddy, aunt and uncle as they were wheeled out of the room.

Following the quietly chattering parents down the hall, Rick slowed to accommodate for Kate, telling Reid and Lizzie to keep going, they'd catch up.

"You getting a sense of déjà vu?" Rick asked with a grin, Kate knowingly nodding beside him.

"And we get to do it all again in August," she added, reaching the neonatal door about two minutes after the Dwyer family.

It was fairly quiet inside, considering, as the attending nurse let them in with a smile, directing them immediately to the back left corner, where Kate could already see her sister cradling a bundle of pink blankets.

As they got closer, they could make out the broad grin on each of their faces, Scott's expression almost identical to his father's, while Lizzie looked on adoringly at her two children. Her gaze moved up as Kate and Rick's shadow cast over them, lifting the snoozing baby up a little higher on her arm for all to see.

"Rick, Katie, I want you to meet our daughter," Lizzie began, just as the tiny eyelids fluttered and fists began to flail. I quiet gurgle and groan came from the little infant, followed by a quick series of sneezes which caused the group to giggle.

"This is Savannah Jayne Dwyer."

**X X X X X**

**Not much to say except I thought this was an adorable chapter to write. Considering we're so used to dire circumstances and destruction with Kate and Rick, this was a nice seachange (:**

**Kayla x**


	17. Chapter 17

**Yes, I know, it's been a while. I'm not going to attempt to fill in the time we've missed (because this FF runs in real-time), so we're going to pick up from one month after little Savannah is born (:**

**X X X X X**

Kate woke to the quiet murmuring of Elise and Rick, both of whom were sitting upright on the bed beside her.

"Look, Leesy, Momma's up," Rick whispered, Kate's eyes opening to see her husband and youngest daughter gazing at her adoringly, tiny hands reaching over to her.

"Momma!" Elise exclaimed, sliding herself closer to lay alongside her mother, a chuckle escaping Rick as he watched. The now almost one year old had grown up so much in the last month or so. She was walking on her own, albeit clumsily, and was speaking the new words she was learning from her siblings. She could now say her own version of each of their names, and, when Kate had the opportunity to watch her children converse amongst one another, she felt herself tearing up.

"Good morning my munchkin," Kate greeted, pulling the fidgety and excitable youngster closer to her as she slowly sat up. Elise followed, crawling to the edge of the bed and slowly sliding off, Kate watching with a grin as she toddled around to Rick's side.

"Come, Momma!" she beckoned, a hand reaching, grasping air as she called for her mother.

"I'll be there soon, sweetie," Kate assured, giving Rick a pleading look as she moved quickly to the bathroom. She heard Rick say something to their daughter, tiny stomping feet accompanying the words before she disappeared into the ensuite.

She emerged moments later, teeth brushed and face washed, feeling marginally better than she had before, moving slowly to the kitchen. Her leg was getting better rather quickly, and she was able to walk around the house without crutches and pain. Still, when she was out, she used them, simply because she couldn't last too long on her feet without them.

"Morning, Mommy!"

Accompanying the greeting from Alexis, she felt the arms of Lucas and David clamp around her legs, wincing slightly at the force on her injured one, but not enough to hurt immensely.

Kate nudged the boys back toward the dining table, where Alexis sat chattering with the three Freidman girls, all of which were enjoying the breakfast Rick had cooked for them.

The occasion for the cooked breakfast would have gone amiss to anyone who was not a member of the family, biological and otherwise, or if Lucas had not been donning his best 'Birthday Boy' badge.

Lucas had moved to sit nearby, tucking into his bacon whole-heartedly as chatter continued around him. Kate moved to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, resting her chin lightly on his head. Her stomach was only marginally getting the way at the moment, the young boy on his knees making him closer to her.

"How's my big three year old today?" she murmured in his ear, planting a kiss on his cheek before standing straight again.

"Goooooooooooooooooooood!" Lucas exclaimed, turning to flash his bright, toothy smile at his mother, before abandoning his breakfast and climbing down from the chair, "Can we go to the park today, Momma?"

"Well, it's your birthday, you get to pick!" Kate exclaimed, "But only for the morning, cos then Mommy's taking you for your surprise."

She whispered the last part to him quietly, watching a spark ignite in his eyes, the corners of his mouth extending even higher as his excitement grew.

"I wanna go to the park to play," Lucas said, "with everyone!"

"Everyone?"

"Everyone!"

Kate chuckled quietly at his enthusiasm, giving him a peck on the cheek before she headed for the kitchen. Rick was standing at the bench, piling the last of the eggs onto the plate and sliding it across the breakfast bar to her.

"For you, my lady," he spoke with a wink, a goofy grin and a flourish of the spatula, bringing a smile to Kate's face instantaneously.

"Rick, that looks amazing, but I really don't think I could stomach it," Kate replied, her devastation obvious. She received a raised eyebrow, before he released the utensil in his hand, walking around the bench top to Kate, his hands landing on either side of her stomach, bending so his nose was no more than an inch from her bump.

"Listen here, baby," he began, his tone soft yet stern, a hint of humor evident, "you're missing out on Daddy's bacon and eggs, you gotta stop this, alright?"

The smile on her face was the definition of giddy, as she watched her husband converse with their unborn child through her sweatshirt.

"Seriously, _you_ will regret not tasting them too, all warm in Momma's belly…"

Kate listened to him talk quietly to her stomach for a few moments more, her hands falling to rest on top of his. This time around, they'd opted for a surprise in regard to the baby's gender. Apparently, Lizzie decided that was too difficult for baby presents, but Kate and Rick had insisted they needed nothing. They had enough hand-me downs to last them until the apocalypse.

"Come on, Rick, let's get these kids ready for school!"

**X X X X X**

"Momma, come play!"

Lucas was standing atop the highest platform on the playground, his little body bundled in a scarf and beanie his Nana Beckett had knitted for him. Rick was nearby, entertaining a still unsteady Elise and a doting Bella on the smaller area, while David was off with a new friend he'd just met. Although he wasn't straying far, Kate kept a close eye on him.

"Oh, Lukey, I don't think I'll fit up there!" Kate explained, one hand resting on her stomach, the other pushing a stay lock of hair behind her ear.

"It's okay, wait there!"

After her instruction, Lucas disappeared, Kate taking a seat on the edge of the lower platform, glad to be off her feet. She turned back to find David, who was now free from his friend but standing with his father, watching Bella push Elise gently on the toddler swing. She could see the youngest girl's hands moving animatedly, her mouth moving, Kate assuming she was having a conversation with herself only she could understand. David was climbing up Rick's frame, clawing his way, with a little help, up to his father's back, clinging on like a sloth. Before she could grin, she was ambushed by a pair of tiny arms wrapping themselves around her shoulders from behind. There was a small knee leaning into her back, the force of its impact emitting an oomph from her momentarily before she reached up to grasp the gloved hands.

"I love you, Momma," came the little voice in her ear, followed by a soft kiss on her temple, the weight of Lucas' chin landing lightly on her shoulder.

"I love you too, my big boy."

"Mommy, where are you?"

They were distracted by the calls of David, who had begun to run back to the bench Kate had occupied earlier, which, in fact, was where Elise's stroller remained.

"Oh, sorry, honey, I'm over here," she cried, raising a hand in the air. David's gaze turned, just as Bella ran up beside him, her long brown hair tousled and unruly as the wind caught it. She smiled her best smile at Kate before she ran alongside David to her side.

"Mommy, you should have seen it," David began, "Daddy was pushing me _so_ high I nearly went all the way over!"

"No way!" Kate exclaimed, the gobsmacked expression on Lucas' face felt on her shoulder, "That would have been fun!"

"It was Mommy!" David agreed, "Then Bella climbed all the way _over_ the spider web!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was _so_ cool, Mommy!"

"Yeah, Mommy, it was!"

The words were out of the little girl's mouth before she had a chance to think. Still, Kate was sure the young girl had no idea she'd just called her 'Mommy'. In fact, David nor Lucas seemed to notice either. Rick was still a fair way back, allowing Elise to stomp her way about the park willy nilly while he followed.

Kate, although stunned, took her few moments of shock and turned them into legible words for the interest of her young companions.

"Alright, kiddies, who's ready for ice cream?"

The unanimous cry of 'Me's' were enough to leave Kate laughing quietly to herself as she stood, Lucas jumping from the platform behind her and racing after David and Bella. Hobbling her way back to the bench, her crutches left there for safety's sake, she was joined by Rick and a weary Elise resting on his shoulder.

"Uh oh, didn't someone wear themselves out?" Kate murmured, reaching a hand up to stroke her daughter's rosy cheek, her free hand managing to find it's resting place atop her bump yet again…

"I think she did," Rick added, chuckling, "she ran around the whole playground twice, then tried to climb the spider web before she insisted on the slide."

"Naturally, the highest is always the best."

"Apparently."

Smirking, she found her two boys and Bella sitting on the bench chattering quietly, swinging their legs enthusiastically, Rick bending to put Elise back in her stroller. Kate had a prediction the little girl would be asleep before they reached the car.

"So, Lucas, are you having a good birthday?" Rick asked, the young boy nodding exuberantly in reply.

"Yeah huh, but Daddy, when we get ice cream, I want the yellow one," Lucas explained in his tiny, articulate voice, "the one with chocolate polka dots in it."

"I want chocolate!" David exclaimed loudly, throwing his hands in the air triumphantly on his final word, his parents chuckling quietly at his over the top antics.

"I like hokey pokey," Bella stated, "with sprinkles and fudge sauce!"

David gasped at the mention of fudge sauce; the boy was an exact copy of his father, meaning that anything chocolate was the best flavor.

"Daddy, can I have fudge sauce too?" he asked brightly, standing as his father did once Elise was strapped in, Lucas and Bella following suit, their conversation branching out into ice cream concoctions. Kate positioned her crutches, nudging Lucas' calf with one of them so he began to walk toward the car, Rick on the opposite side.

"Come on, Lucas, it's birthday ice cream time," Kate said, watching the young boy jump and clap excitedly as he walked.

"Momma, when Alexis and Tina and Steffie come home, can we play games?" Lucas asked, his pace putting him in step with his mother, while Bella stayed right by his side. David was up ahead with Rick, one hand clinging to the stroller as they spoke animatedly.

"Sure," Kate replied, noting the street up ahead that Rick had already begun to cross to head for the car.

"Okay, Lucas, Bella, stop please, it's a street."

The two stopped as instructed, their hands joining as they were taught when crossing a road. Kate watched them look both ways, then up to her for confirmation. She gave the street a quick survey herself; both lights at either end of the street were stopped, the traffic flowing parallel to them rather than perpendicular. She gave them a quick nod, noticing Rick had paused on the other side to receive them.

Quickly and purposefully, the two three year olds made for the Castle car, their young but well-taught eyes scanning the road with every step they took. Kate was right behind them, grinning to herself as they reached the other side but still kept their mittened hands joined.

"Come on, kids," Rick chortled, ushering them into the car, watching Elise already snoozing in her booster seat, "the ice cream is calling our name!"

**X X X X X**

**So, March 29 just so happens to be Lucas' birthday! He is three years old today, and, since I didn't get time to complete the ice cream part and the whole family celebration part, that will be next chapter. This year, his birthday gets to span two days! What a lucky little boy. Anyway, other than that, a few other cute points in that chapter, as well as another issue that was brushed over and shall be continued. Enjoy, please review!**

**Kayla x**


	18. Chapter 18

"Momma, can we pick now?"

"No, you have to wait for Daddy to come back, okay?" Kate replied, "So we can have our ice cream with the girls."

Lucas gave an unworried nod, returning back to his conversation with David and Bella. Kate smiled, nursing little Elise on her knee, her little body limp with sleep against her chest. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, pulling it out to find Andy calling.

"Hey, Andy, what's up?"

"_Hey Kate, I need to talk to you about the girls."_

Kate wasn't sure whether it was good or bad that he sounded so ecstatic. Good for the girls; they needed somewhere that wasn't temporary, a place they could actually call home. Unfortunately, in the time they'd been with the Castles, Kate had grown increasingly fond of them. She wasn't sure if they would leave willingly.

"What have you got for me?"

"_It took us some time, but we tracked down their grandparents," Andy explained, his eyes scanning his notes as he spoke, "they were living in London. Anyway, the stay wasn't permanent; the grandfather had a work contract that just ended."_

"Are they from New York originally?" Kate asked, shifting in her spot, putting Elise back in the stroller beside her. The little girl was getting bigger now, and, for different reasons, so was Kate.

"_Yeah, they live in…uh, one second," Andy murmured, flicking through to their current address, "they live in Greenwich, near the river."_

"Well that's good," Kate began, "the two older girls seem to be settling into Greendale, so hopefully they won't have to change schools."

"_I've organized a meeting with them, and I'd like you and Rick to be there," Andy continued, "They're aware that the girls have been with you since their parents passed –"_

"Which side of the family are they from?" Kate interrupted, "I find it hard to believe they're still out of the country after…previous events."

"_Uh, they're the parents of Linda, but they've been estranged from their daughter for years," Andy continued, "they're close with the girls though, they demanded to see them when Linda was with Marcus."_

"So they're not total strangers?"

"_No, from what I heard from them, they used to take the girls on weekends away and things," Andy said, "they didn't know Marcus had been killed."_

"They weren't notified?" Kate asked, disbelief lacing her tone, "That's…unusual."

"_Yeah, I'll be having words with law enforcement, but they're on their way home_."

"Okay, I'll speak to Rick tonight," Kate replied, "When's the meeting?"

"_Monday, at 11am," Andy said, "my office. I picked a time when all the kids should be at school, so you'll just have Elise."_

"I might be able to leave her with Mom and Dad, but we'll see," Kate said, the figures of a man and three girls at the door catching her eye.

"_On better news, Carli and I have picked a date for the wedding," Andy said, the smile evident in his voice._

"Oh, Andy, that's so great!" Kate gushed, "What are your plans?"

"_Uh, well, Carli grew up in the Hamptons, so we were thinking a beach wedding in the summer. July 28, the day we met."_

"Listen to you, you hopeless romantic!"

"_What can I say, I'm a charmer."_

"Ah-huh, sure."

"Momma, Daddy's here, can we get ice cream now?" Lucas interjected, his eyes wide and excited, causing Kate to laugh quietly to herself.

"Just a sec, sweetie," Kate murmured with the receiver covered before turning her attention back to her brother, "Listen, Andy, I gotta shoot, but I'll see you tonight."

"_Okay, of course," Andy replied, "I hope Lucas is having a good birthday, and he is going to love our present!"_

"Oh god, please say it's manageable!" Kate muttered.

"_Only for you, sister dear."_

"Goodbye Andy," Kate demanded with a chuckle, bading farewell as she ended the call.

Turning to the three figures heading toward her, Kate felt her grin widen as a little redhead clamped her arms around her waist.

"Hi Mommy!" Alexis cried, burying her head in the space of her mother's neck for one moment, before leaving a kiss on Kate's cheek, then rounding the table to Lucas.

Among her cries of Happy Birthday (again!), Kate gestured for the awkwardly standing Steffie and Tina to come forward.

"Come here, girls," she murmured, wrapping her arms gently around them. She felt Steffie's smile on her shoulder, and the strength in Tina's embrace, facts that made Rick smile from just behind them.

"Momma!" came the near whiny voice of Lucas, "Can we get ice cream _now_?"

Chuckling, Kate released the two eldest Freidman girls, before turning to her son, who was gazing at her pleadingly.

"Come on, big guy," Rick exclaimed, "we can _definitely_ get ice cream now!"

The unanimous cheer from the children was enough to turn heads, Kate beaming at her husband as the kids ran up to him excitedly.

Rick could see the twinkle in her eye, the dimples she had only when she had _that _smile. She stopped staring at him only to turn to the now noisy Elise, who was trying her hardest to get herself out of her stroller.

"Oh, silly Elise!"

The young girl wasn't crying, but she was getting frustrated by being constrained, the world inside the parlor far more interesting than that of her stroller. Swinging her up onto her hip, Kate followed the little chattering people who were excitably choosing their flavors.

"Okay, kids, you can have two mix-ins and a topping," Rick explained, ruffling the tops of his boys' head as he spoke.

"Okay Daddy!" David exclaimed, jumping up to see the selections, "Can I have chocolate?"

"Kids, go one at a time so the servers don't get confused," Kate instructed, "and let Lucas go first; it's his birthday."

Obligingly, David stepped back, giving his younger brother a nudge forward with a grin and a pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you, David!" Lucas replied, before turning to the smiling older woman who was serving, "May I have…this one, please?"

"Of course you can, young man, with manners like those!" she gushed, filling a tub with 'Honeycomb Smash' as she beamed, "What else would you like in it?"

"May I please have choc chips and mini M&M's and the yellow ice cream sauce?" Lucas reeled off, pointing finally to the honeycomb sauce he meant.

"Your son has beautiful manners," the woman said exasperatedly to Kate, "how old is he?"

Kate was grinning down at Lucas, who was watching the topping get squirted onto his ice cream before it was handed to him, before her head snapped up to reply.

"Thank you, he turned three today," she replied, watching the server's jaw drop.

"My goodness, you and your husband sure have a gift with kids, and golly you need it with this many!" she added with a chuckle, Rick startling Kate with his voice by her ear and an arm around her waist.

"They're angels in public, rascals when no one's looking!" he exclaimed, causing another laugh to erupt from the woman behind the counter.

"They sound like my daughter!" she added, before turning to the expectant looking David in front of her, "Now, what can I get for you, sweetness?"

"Chocolate please!"

**X X X X X**

Kate found that having lots of little hands around was far more helpful than trying to do everything herself.

"Tina, honey, could you go and help Steffie and Alexis with the drinks please?" Kate instructed, wincing at the two five year olds carrying the large soft drink bottles.

"Yes, Kate," the young girl agreed, moving to assist her younger sister and friend, while Kate turned to find the boys and Bella helping Rick put up the decorations. She continued on with putting together the candy for the other kids who would be here. Lucas had chosen to have a family party at home, something most would find surprising for a three year old, but for Kate, it wasn't shocking at all. There was nothing that boy loved more than his family.

"Those decorations look pretty great, guys," Kate called, pausing momentarily to take a sip of water before she moved some trays of candy to the table that was adorned with dinosaur table cloths.

A knock on the door startled her, as did the timer for the chicken casserole in the oven.

"Girls, can you get the door please?" Kate called, filling more plates as the 'Yes Mommy' erupted from Alexis.

"Mommy, its Uncle Andy and Auntie Carli!" Alexis exclaimed, Kate turning to look at the door with a grin.

"Hey Andy!" she called, receiving a curt wave before he went running for the young boy across the room.

"Wheeeere's the birthday boy!" Andy cried, racing over to scoop up the giggling three year old who was squealing excitedly as he flipped over his uncle's shoulders.

Carli stood awkwardly at the door, her eyes flashing from her fiancé, the little redheaded Castle tugging her along and Kate herself, who was watching the young woman's shyness emerge.

"Carli, could you lend a hand?" Kate asked with a smile, pointing to the plates of fairy bread Alexis had insisted on.

Said redhead gasped in excitement as she reached for the plates, stopped by her mother's hand.

"Or somebody might drop the fairy bread they wanted so bad!" Kate added, grinning, hearing the chuckle from Carli that dissipated most of the discomfort.

"Sure," Carli agreed, "come on, Lex, we can share the help."

"Mommy?"

Kate turned to find Bella standing behind her, eyes glistening, bottom lip quivering.

"Mommy, Steffie is being nasty," Bella began, "she told me I can't help cos I'm too little."

The young brunette had Kate's heart clenching in her chest, her big brown eyes gazing up at her forlornly, the way she articulated 'Mommy'. It broke her heart to have to explain everything to her.

"Bella, sweetie, you know I'm not your Mommy, right?" Kate said, squatting to be at her eye level, grasping the bench to keep her steady.

Bella's eyes fell, her toe drawing circles on the ground as she contemplated.

"But you're nicer than my other Mommy was," she murmured, not meeting her eye, "does that mean I can't call you Mommy?"

"Why wasn't your Mommy nice to you?" Kate asked, searching for the girl's eyes, finding them a moment later.

"She told me I was ugly, and she didn't love me, and never wanted to see me," Bella explained, "and she only loved Tina, and she said she wanted Daddy and me and Steffie to be gone forever."

Kate was getting concerned now, watching the girl continue, the tears falling onto her cheeks, but her voice not marred from sobs.

"And she used to throw things at us and lock us in our bedrooms and said we couldn't have dinner and she would hit us when we didn't use our manners –"

"Sweetie, it's okay, you don't have to tell me everything," Kate interrupted, close to tears herself as she pulled the young girl into her, "this is enough."

She could feel Bella sobbing into her shoulder, the little girl's arms wrapped tightly around Kate.

"I love you, Kate," Bella whispered, before breaking away, "Can I still say I love you even if I can't call you Mommy?"

"Of course you can, sweetie," Kate whispered, giving the young girl a nudge back into the living room, "and, you can help Rick with the balloons, okay?"

Instantly brighter, Bella ran, grinning, for Father Castle who was already fiddling with colorful balloons. Kate was flabbergasted at the young girl, having the courage to tell her about the terrors of her previous home life. It gave her a whole new level of respect for the youngest Freidman girl.

"Hey, Kate, you okay?" Andy asked, coming up beside her, a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to him, giving a slow nod and grin.

"Yeah, just, uh…" she started, sighing, "I just realized that the home life of those little girls was…horrible. Nobody deserves to live like that."

"Why do you think they were so guarded?" Andy replied, "They were terrified every time someone put a hand on their shoulder."

Kate stood, head shaking, her eyes glancing to the door momentarily as three more families arrived for Lucas' birthday.

"Anyway, I have a birthday party to host," Kate said, turning her emotion into a smile, before she made for the door to greet her guests.

So far, Andy and Carli, Lizzie and Reid with their children, Jim and Johanna as well as Rose and Webster, Kate's high school friends, had arrived. They were still waiting on the Ryan's and Javi and Lanie, but Kate felt they wouldn't be far away.

"Girl, why are you walking away when I get to the door?"

Kate turned at the voice, grinning as she saw the cheeky face of Lanie in her door frame and stepped forward for a hug.

"Thanks for coming, Lanie," Kate greeted, "I need someone to keep me sane!"

Lanie scoffed, shaking her head, "Well, you're the wacko who decided to have lots of kids!"

Urging the woman inside, amongst excitable shouts from Alexis, Kate was able to lead Jenny and Kevin into the loft, who had arrived moments later.

Kate shut the door gently to find that most of the children were crowded around the candy table, many plates nearly empty already. Looking at the clock, Kate noticed it was close to 5:30pm, but before she could think any further, she was interrupted by her husband.

"You know, you look damn fine with that baby belly," Rick growled, moving from the side to curl his arms around her, a kiss on her temple as she rolled her eyes.

"Hey!" Rick cried, "I felt that eye roll!"

"Yeah, well, you deserve it for being so full of it," Kate muttered, leaning into his embrace, watching the kids chatter about the table, Lucas entertaining with stories of the gifts he'd received. David and Alexis were listening contently, the latter moving empty plates and shifting fuller ones. Rose and Webster's children, Olivia and Oscar were asking loud questions, while their older sister Liza was listening quietly. Scott and Riley were in the center of the living room playing with Elise, who Rick had collected from her upstairs room less than half an hour ago. The remainder of the parents were seated on the many couches, laughing and eating their own appetizers.

"I think we should order the pizzas now," Kate murmured, her eyes scanning the room, a grin coming absent-mindedly to her face. Rick groaned beside her, his arms tightening around her stomach, his fingers tracing circles near her belly button.

"That means I have to let you go," Rick whined, before he left a final kiss on her cheek and headed for the phone. She watched him saunter way, Rick's eyes flicking over his shoulder a few more times than could be deemed subtle.

"Oh, girl, you are lucky to have that man," Lanie said, moving to stand beside her, wine glass in hand. Of course, the girl found the expensive stuff.

"And don't I know it," Kate murmured, looking sideways at Rick with a smile, then to her excited little newly turned three year old.

**X X X X X**

**So, here ends Lucas' birthday! Just for the record, his cake was shaped like a T-Rex, his favorite dinosaur! Have a good week, and don't forget to review!**

**Kayla x**

**P.S: For those who also read **_**The Little Things**_** or for those who don't, I have updated the first chapter of another AU FF, **_**The Sister Chronicles**_**. It's not completely necessary to read the previous story first, so go for your life and tell me what you think, please!**


	19. Chapter 19

**We need to visit the Becketts a little more, so, I hope you like it!**

**X X X X X**

In typical Kate Beckett style, she was a half hour early to her parents' place, and in typical Andy Beckett fashion he had texted her to say he would be late. Lizzie had been shopping with their mother that morning, so was most likely already here, something Kate smiled at as she stepped onto the elevator of the West Village building.

She'd managed to convince Rick it would be a good idea for the kids to spend some time with him and their Gram, asserting this idea by liberally inviting Martha over for the day. Rick had agreed, only because their children had not seen her since New Year; she was working on a show after the holidays.

The ding sounded as Kate headed into the hall, moving to the second door on the left, letting herself in the unlocked door.

"Good morning!" she called, entering into an apartment filled with quietly playing Billy Joel and laughter coming from the kitchen. As always, when Johanna Beckett would prepare lunch, the living room was erupting with delicious smells of meals cooking in the oven, and Kate's mouth was practically already watering.

"Hey, Katie!" Lizzie exclaimed, rushing forward to wrap her older sister in a hug, Johanna watching on in amusement as the two began their silly hug ritual which usually ensued. The two stood embracing each other tightly swaying rhythmically from side to side, laughing and exclaiming as their movements became more and more exaggerated.

"Whoa, Lizzie, I don't bend like that right now!" Kate cried, releasing the young woman abruptly, still grinning.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Lizzie replied, still laughing as she sighed, "I almost forgot I _could_ move like this!"

"Mm, yeah, your butt is already teenie again, Miss Lizzie!" Johanna exclaimed, walking up from behind, a hand finding its way around her second daughter's waist, "You make me jealous!"

"Mom!" Kate and Lizzie chided playfully, before Lizzie continued, "You know we got our sexiness from you."

"Maybe when I was your age!" Johanna exclaimed, chuckling, reaching for Kate, hugging her closely.

"Ah, come on, Mom, you're a hot old lady!" Lizzie added, earning her a gentle backhand to the arm. Grinning to themselves, the three Beckett women turned at the sound of the door opening and the voices that accompanied it, as Jim and Andy walked into the room.

"Andrew Beckett, so nice of you to grace us with your presence!" Lizzie exclaimed, jumping up and walking forward, arms out, toward a crookedly grinning Andy.

"Oh, sister darling, I wouldn't leave you hanging like that!" he cried, the two falling into a hug with a grunt, Jim giving the two a gentle pat on the shoulders before heading for his wife and eldest child.

"Are you questioning why you had more children?" Kate asked with playful sarcasm, smiling as she watched her father place a gentle kiss on her mother's temple.

"More?" Jim cried with a scoff, "I question why we had any!"

He smiled cheekily at an eye rolling Kate, before the sounds of Lizzie and Andy chattering and laughing were heard coming their way.

"What's going on?" Lizzie asked, looking between her grinning family with a smile, while Kate and Johanna were still shaking their head at Jim.

"Your father is just being mean again," Johanna sighed, peering sideways at her husband, "which explains why you only come to visit me."

"Hey!"

The small family laughed amongst themselves, moving to sit on the couches beside them, Lizzie the first to speak.

"Come on, Dad, you know we love you!" she exclaimed, chuckling, "Or are you being paranoid again?"

"Me? Paranoid? _Never!"_ Jim cried, leaning back into the seat, Andy beside him, leaning his elbows on his knees with a grin. Kate sat alongside her mother on the sofa opposite, while Lizzie was sitting with her legs crossed on the armchair nearby facing the rest of the family.

"So, Katie, how are your little wards going?" Jim asked, "Andy tells me they'll be off with their grandparents soon?"

Kate sighed, knowing that any discussion of the three Freidman girls leaving would be painful, but she was realistic; they couldn't stay with her forever.

"Yeah, Andy managed to find their mother's estranged parents," Kate said, "We're meeting on Monday, and I guess they'll be living with them not too long after that."

"You're going to miss them, aren't you Katie?" Johanna murmured, eyeing her daughter knowingly, watching Kate's head nod.

"They're amazing little girls," she explained, "They deserve a home where they can be appreciated. That's not with me, no matter how much I adore them."

Andy smirked to himself and shook his head, "Thing is they've probably never felt more appreciated in their life until now."

"Katie, I'm sure you gave those girls enough in the month they've been with you," Johanna said, her hand falling on Kate's knee.

Shrugging, Kate stared at the floor, before looking up to her mother.

"I couldn't give them everything they need," Kate said, "I already have four children, soon to be five…they would have been fighting for attention."

"Yeah, you crazy child-bearing woman!" Andy exclaimed, "You have half a soccer team!"

"To be honest, I'm kinda jealous," Lizzie said with a sigh, "I wish I could have more kids."

Kate smirked, chuckling at the comments of her siblings before she turned to Lizzie, "You know you can babysit anytime?"

"Pfft, and get even less sleep than I'm getting now?" Lizzie cried, "No thank you!"

"The reason why I dislike small humans," Andy murmured to himself, earning a scoff from his mother.

"Andrew Beckett, I hate to disappoint you, but that fiancée of yours is going to want her own small human very soon," Johanna explained, "and when that day comes, your sisters are going to be laughing at you."

"Face the music, Andy, we're outnumbered and never right," Jim muttered with a grin.

"Just like old times, hey Dad?" Andy added in agreement, the laughter of the small family accompanying the soft sounds of _Vienna._

**X X X X X**

"_Katie, when we get home, can I have a sandwich?" the nine year old Lizzie asked, clinging to her eleven year old sister's hand as they walked. On the other side of Kate was Andy, the five year old more interested in the shoes on his feet than where his feet were taking him. _

"_I don't think Mom bought bread yet, Liz," Kate replied, tugging Andy along, annoyed, "come on, Andy, watch where you're going!"_

"_Sorry Katie," he murmured, head drooping before he finally looked up to his oldest sibling, "You know what I did in school today, Katie?"_

"_What did you do in school today, Andy?" Kate asked, stopping at the corner of an intersection, waiting patiently for the green 'WALK', squeezing Lizzie and Andy's hands just a little tighter as the crowd grew._

"_We got our reading levels for our home reader, and I got in the highest one!" the young boy exclaimed proudly, "I'm the only one, and I get my books from the first graders!"_

_Kate tugged her younger brother and sister across the road gently, as Lizzie peered past to speak._

"_You are a very good reader, Andy," she said with a smile, "you could do it since you were tiny!"_

"_But my teacher said not many kids get to get their books from first graders!" Andy cried, "Did you get books from first graders, Katie?"_

_Kate looked down at her inquisitive brother, who was all bright green eyes and mouth in an 'o' as he waited patiently for his answer. _

"_Not right away, but I eventually got all the way up to third grade books," Kate said, before inclining her head toward the middle Beckett, "so did Lizzie."_

_Andy's mouth was gaping as he glanced between his two sisters, Lizzie blushing as she cowered slightly into her jacket. _

"_But Katie went up quicker than I did, and you've gone up quicker than Katie," Lizzie explained, "so you're the best reader out of all of us."_

"_Not as good as Mommy and Daddy," Andy put forward, while Lizzie shook her head, the two not noticing where Kate was leading them, a grin on her face at their obliviousness._

"_Mommy and Daddy are grown ups," Lizzie said, "of course they're better than us. They're even better than Katie and she's in middle school!"_

_Shrugging, Andy looked from Lizzie and peered around their new surroundings, gasping as his face spread into a beaming smile._

"_Katie, are we getting ice cream?" he cried excitedly, looking to Lizzie before they both released Kate's hand and ran to peer through the cold glass at the assortment of flavors. _

_Laughing quietly, Kate followed Lizzie and Andy, stopping behind them as they gazed at the colorful frozen treats, Lizzie being the first to turn around. _

"_Katie, may I have the rainbow one?" Lizzie asked, "Please?"_

"_Of course, but you have to ask the lady yourself, okay?" Kate instructed, watching her younger sister stand on her tip toes to see over the counter. For a nine year old, she was quite small, but if she was anything like Kate, she'd grow. Eventually._

"_Andy, are you going to have chocolate?" Kate asked, the little boy nodding excitedly as he turned to her._

"_Yes please, Katie!" he exclaimed, giggling as he was grabbed around the waist then lifted by Kate so he could see the server._

"_Can I have chocolate please?" Andy asked innocently, watching the smiling woman behind the counter nod and begin to attend to his ice cream, while Lizzie bounced over with a tub in hand._

"_Katie, the lady said she'll get you yours too before you pay and put it all together," Lizzie explained, her hands still as she peered up at her sister, "I said you wanted the toffee one, cos that's what you usually get."_

_Smiling, Kate slowly lowered the now ice cream eating Andy back to the ground, before she turned back to Lizzie, pulling the girl into a hug. Grunting, she accepted Kate's hug with a giggle, sighing into the embrace as her free hand wrapped around her big sister. _

"_Thank you for the ice cream, Katie," Andy called, joining in on the group hug by falling against Kate's leg with an oomph, as Lizzie nodded in agreement._

"_Yes, thank you, Katie!"_

"_Here we are, Miss Beckett, one toffee cup for you," said the young blonde woman behind the counter, "and it was the other two cups as well?"_

"_Yes, thank you," Kate agreed, giving Andy and Lizzie a gentle nudge so she could pay. As she handed over the coins, she could hear chattering and scraping chairs, turning to find the two youngsters sitting at the nearest table. _

"_I guess you won't need that sandwich anymore, huh Liz?" Kate asked as she sat, removing her backpack from her shoulders and letting it plonk on the floor. Lizzie shook her head, attempting to swallow her mouthful as quick as possible, her actions becoming amusingly animated as she went on._

"_But Katie, do you think Mom will help me with my homework?" she asked, "Miss Saville gave me extra because the other stuff is too easy."_

"_And Katie, would you help me with my book again?" Andy asked, "If Daddy can't do it, will you help?"_

"_Ask Mom and Dad when we get home, because I have a lot of homework too," Kate explained, "but if I get it done I'll help you guys."_

"_We can try and help you, Katie," Lizzie exclaimed, nodding, "Remember, we helped you with your art last week, and then the other week we helped you with your English class."_

_Kate chuckled at the enthusiasm of Lizzie, the often unnoticed silent achiever of the Beckett family. True, all three of them were smart, sociable and hard workers, but Kate and Andy seemed to gain most of the attention, simply by being the oldest and the youngest. Little, selfless Lizzie usually found herself brushed over, not that she minded._

"_Thank you, Lizzie," Kate replied, smiling as she took a mouthful of ice cream and swallowed, "I'll have to think about that."_

**X X X X X**

**I hope you liked the flashback bit to when they were young! I really wanted to do it, and I promise there will be more if you liked it! So, in the flashback, it's most likely around late October 1992, so Andy will be in Kindergarten, age 5, Lizzie in the fourth grade, age 9 and Kate would be in the sixth grade, age 11 turning 12. **

**As for the present day section, the next chapter will be Easter! I also really wanted to have just a Beckett family moment, and I know it got kind of dimmed by the discussion of the Freidman girls, but there will be another moment similar to that at a later date. Oh, and the custodial issue shall be worked out too, just not before Easter.**

**Buona Pasqua!**

**Kayla x**


	20. Chapter 20

**In about 1 hour and 20 minutes, it will be Easter here in Australia. Happy Easter!**

**X X X X X **

Easter was an early morning for the Castles. The night before, Rick had stayed up, letting Kate sleep for once, hiding eggs, bunnies and clues about the house. Not content with an average Easter Hunt, he'd decided to turn it into a scavenger hunt, using colored paper and his own genius.

Kate wasn't convinced that it would be as fun for the kids as it was for Rick, but she let him have his childish moment for the holiday. She'd gotten up earlier, knowing he would be sleeping longer than her, and that the breakfast wouldn't cook itself.

As she was pan frying the eggs, she heard shuffling and a loud yawn, glancing across the living room to find a sleepy Rick headed her way. So far this morning, the kids were nowhere to be seen, though Kate didn't expect their peace to last for very long.

"So, Richard Castle, tell me how this works again," Kate murmured, a still half snoozing Rick looking at her quizzically.

"You already know how to use the frypan," he muttered, rubbing his eyes and yawning again. Kate couldn't decide whether it was infuriating or adorable; at this moment, she chose adorable.

"Hmm, that's good to know," she said quietly, shaking her head, "I meant the Easter hunt."

"Oh, right, of course," Rick began, clearing his throat, "Basically, there's a clue in a basket upstairs and they have to follow it to the next one and the next one…and the next one –"

"Yep, got it, many clues," Kate interjected, looking up from her pancake-making to Rick, "how long until they find their chocolate? Cos if it's too long, you're gonna have grumpy children on your hands."

"And let me guess, they're grumpy and they're mine?"

"You got it."

Narrowing his eyes playfully at his grinning wife, he proceeded, satirically unaffected by her lack of faith in his idea.

"There are little eggs with each of the clues that they can share out afterwards," Rick explained, "and the clues lead to their bunnies and things."

Kate nodded affirmatively, brandishing her spatula as she flipped the pancakes in the pan, cocking her head at the noise upstairs. It was running footsteps, followed by loud, excitable voices. First it was one, then two, then three, before Kate could hear all the youngsters clambering down the stairs, chattering incoherently. Alexis had the first clue in her hand, a small piece of yellow cardstock with instructions on it, while David held the basket. Elise was attached to Lucas' left hand, the young boy peering up at the clue with keen interest.

"Good morning kids," Kate called, the voices exerting incoherent sentences of 'Good Morning Mom' before they went about finding their eggs. Elise, who was seemingly bewildered by the situation, was more interested in her mother standing behind the kitchen counter.

The almost one year old began to make her way to her parents, before David cried out excitedly, running for his father's office, completely grabbing the attention of his siblings as they followed eagerly.

"See, what did I tell you?" Rick began, watching after the kids, a giddy grin on his face, "They love it!"

"Yeah, yeah, eat your pancakes, Egg Head!"

**X X X X X**

"Momma, look what the Easter Bunny left us!" Lucas cried, running from the final destination, the rumpus room around the corner, a blue bag of goodies in hand. David emerged moments later, his own bag in one hand, the basket _full_ of smaller eggs in the other. He appeared to be struggling a little, but wouldn't let that dampen his spirit as he let them plonk triumphantly on the dining table where Kate and Rick were seated.

Alexis followed soon after, two bags in one hand as she guided Elise back to the kitchen.

"Momma, eggie!" she exclaimed, holding up a colorfully wrapped chocolate treat from her bag, waving it vigorously.

"I see, sweetie," Kate cooed, allowing Rick to reach down and pick up the young girl, "But maybe we can save it for later."

Elise looked to her mother, blue eyes big, mouth in a grin, before she gently placed the egg on the table in front of her, giving it a gentle pat before leaving it alone.

"Later," she repeated, quickly scrambling down from her father's lap, moving to her own seat beside Kate.

"Mommy, did you only make pancakes for you and Daddy?" David asked, his mouth gaping as he looked between the empty plates in front of himself and his siblings, to the pancake adorned ones of his parents.

"No, Mommy made you guys pancakes too," Rick said, Kate pursing her lips in amusement at his playful tone, "But I eated them all!"

David and Lucas were completely taken by his façade, gasping and jaws dropping before Alexis cut in with a clearing of her throat.

"Daddy, it's 'ate', not 'eated'," she corrected, her tone light, her face in a smile, "and you didn't it all of them – there's still some here!"

"You just got owned by a five year old," Kate muttered under her breath, chuckling quietly as she stood, groaning a little before making her way over to the kitchen, giving her oldest daughter a kiss on the head as she went.

"She's my five year old, so it's okay," Rick exclaimed, throwing a bite of pancake into his mouth and chewing, a goofy, sideways smile directed at the boys before they looked to Kate.

"Can we have pancakes now, Mommy?" David asked, "So then we can eat our chocolate?"

"First of all, you will _not_ be eating all those eggs at once," Kate said among profuse nods from all three older children.

"Don't worry, Mommy, we won't," Alexis reiterated.

"Yeah, or else we'll get sore tummies," David added, "and then we can't play at Nana and Grandpa's!"

Lucas didn't speak, but he was nodding in agreement, Elise and Rick now engaged in what appeared to be a very profound conversation. At least, that's what Kate imagined.

"Good," Kate said with a nod, "Second of all, your Dad used all the syrup."

"DAD!"

"What?"

Kate chuckled at the unanimous whine that escaped the children, emitting a childish groan from Rick as he defended against an unaltered fate.

"Whatever she says I did, I didn't I swear!" he exclaimed, as Alexis hopped down from her stool, making her way quickly over to stand beside her brothers, all their arms crossed.

"So you _didn't_ eat all the maple syrup?" Alexis asked accusingly, her eyes narrowing in a way she could only have learned from her mother. Lucas and David were beside her, their eyes closing in on their father also. Not to be left out, Elise had since clambered down and wandered over, standing alongside Alexis, clinging to her shirt.

Rick considered his options; surely he could bluff his way out of this? He decided to go Jack Sparrow style; avoid admitting to the crime, but also avoid saying you _didn't_ do it.

"I didn't eat _all_ of it," he said, "your Mom had some too."

"Don't bring me into this!" Kate cried, her presence at the table causing Rick to jump. Clearly he hadn't noticed her come to retrieve the kids' plates.

"Daddy, Momma doesn't like maple syrup!" Lucas reasoned, "It's only you and Lexi."

"Then why do you care if I ate it all?" Rick asked, raising an eyebrow, getting closer and closer to Lucas' face, a gesture that was causing the young boy to giggle.

"Stop it, Daddy!" he cried, still giggling as he nudged his father's face away with the palm of his hand before retreating behind Alexis.

"Daddy, stop!" Alexis cried, unable to contain her laughter either as Rick continued to lean forward, falling theatrically from his chair as he began crawling after the children, who had all managed to run screaming.

"I'm gonna get you all!" he cried with a growl, coming to his feet as he chased, scooping David up from the couch with a chuckle.

"Mommy, Mommy, he's got me!" David exclaimed, as Alexis ran over to save him, clinging to Rick's leg as she scaled his frame.

Lucas, who was now uninterested with the playfulness in the living room had followed Elise back to the dining table, where Kate was laying out the last of the pancakes on plates. Climbing into his seat and watching Elise do the same, Lucas reached for his breakfast, looking to his mother quickly before he took a first bite.

"Thank you, Momma," he murmured, feeling her hand reach around his shoulders gently, a kiss on the top of his head as he began to eat.

"Happy Easter, Lucas."

"Happy Easter, Mommy!"

**X X X X X**

**If I get time tomorrow (Easter!) I'll write a second half, but I think, even though it's kinda short, it encompasses enough of Easter without me going into another chapter. But like I said, if I get time, I'll write another part (:**

**That is if there are still enough people into this story; if there's not, I'll keep up with my other ones and bring this one to a close, cos it seems to be lagging in readers. **

**Have a good Easter everybody!**

**Kayla x**


	21. Chapter 21

**Another Easter chapter! It's now Easter in Australia, so, Happy Easter!**

**X X X X X**

In the passenger seat of the Castle SUV, Kate was gazing out the window at the buildings passing them by as they headed for her parents' apartment in the West Village. Elise and Lucas were both napping in their places in the back seats, while David and Alexis were quiet, cradling Easter gifts for the rest of their family.

"You okay?" Rick asked quietly, peering over at his wife while stopped at traffic lights. Kate turned his way, a small smile on her face as she nodded gently. Reaching out, she took the hand that was splayed over the middle of the car, allowing it's warmth to accompany her sigh as her eyes drifted closed.

"It's just abnormally quiet, that's all," Kate murmured in defeat, opening her eyes again to gaze into the review mirror. She could see David and Alexis playing silently with the stuffed bunny they'd bought for baby Savannah, while Lucas had begun to stir, fidgeting in his seat with eyes still closed.

"You miss them, don't you?" Rick began, his thumb caressing the back of her hand as she nodded.

"I shouldn't have gotten so attached," Kate reasoned, "it was unreasonable."

"It wasn't your fault," Rick added, "anyone would have gotten attached to kids with a past like theirs."

Kate shook her head, peering out the glass at the apartment building where the Becketts lived.

"I don't know who it hurt more," Kate began, "me or them."

"Look at the bright side, Kate," Rick started, his hand moving from hers to her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze, "You get to see them now."

Smirking, Kate began to open the door once Rick cut the engine, carefully climbing out as she headed for the back door to let out her already unbuckled children.

"I wonder how Andy coped with them!" she exclaimed, "Considering his dislike for 'little humans'."

"I think it would have gone swimmingly," Rick said, chuckling as he helped out Alexis and David, who began chattering almost instantly.

"Daddy, do you think Nana will like the basket I made her?" the young redhead asked, "And David helped too, do you think she'll like it?"

"I think she'll love it, Pumpkin," Rick replied, taking the gift bags he was being passed as children climbed out of the car. Kate was moving to the trunk to retrieve the stroller, Elise still snoozing in her car seat, as Rick climbed in to pull her out.

"Kids, jump on over to the sidewalk, please," he instructed, Alexis leading David around to the other side of the car where Lucas was waiting beside his mother.

"Momma, will we see Tina and Steffie and Bella today?" David asked, "Cos we have their presents."

"They're coming with Uncle Andy, David," Alexis said, "Mommy told me last night."

David and Lucas' faces instantly brightened, their eyes searching the front of the building for the window they knew belonged to their grandparents.

With a few final slams of the door and the click of the stroller wheels, the young family was in business and heading into the building just as Kate heard her name. Turning, she saw, a younger brunette woman pushing a stroller toward her, grinning and waving manically.

Turning with a beaming smile, Kate made the few steps it would take for her to meet her sister halfway and wrapped her in a hug.

"Hello pregnant woman!" Lizzie cried, stepping back and letting her hands fall on Kate's stomach, "I swear, you get bigger every time I see you!"

"I don't know if that's a compliment or not," Kate replied, raising an eyebrow before they laughed together for a moment.

Their only interruption came from Alexis, who groaned loudly and stomped off to the entrance of the building.

"Come _on_, Mom!" she demanded, tugging her brothers after her and into the lobby, Rick following with a chuckle, leaving Kate to walk in with her younger sister.

"So where's Reid?" Kate asked, noticing that, although little Savannah was tucked up in the stroller; Reid and Scott were nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, we left some things at the apartment, so he dropped me around the corner and went back to get it," Lizzie replied, pushing Savannah into the lobby, noticing it was now Rick and child-less and unnervingly quiet.

"I always hated coming in this lobby," Lizzie muttered under her breath, "It's so eerie!"

"Tell me about," Kate replied, pausing at the elevator, waiting as it traveled from the uppermost floors down to them.

"Reminds me of the times we used run through her screaming at the top of our lungs just to see what would happen," Lizzie reminisced, laughing quietly to herself as Kate nodded.

"Yeah, and then we'd get escorted back upstairs by security," Kate pondered, "somehow, Andy never seemed to get caught."

"Pfft, that's cos he made pals with the security guard when he was like, five!" Lizzie exclaimed, stepping onto the now open elevator, "That is cheating."

Kate chuckled quietly, pushing the button for the 16th floor, the elevator car doors closing with a thud before it began to shudder upwards.

"Another thing I hated about this building was the elevator," Kate murmured, watching the dial flick over the floor numbers slower than she would have liked.

"At least you didn't get stuck in here with Andy for _four hours_!" Lizzie exclaimed, "I thought I was going to murder the boy!"

"Little brothers…"

"Yup…"

The ding of the elevator followed their laughter as they made for the door of apartment 16F, finding it open and entering instantly. Inside, Kate could hear the laughter of her own children, plus that of the three young girls who had stolen her heart in such a short period of time.

"Kate!"

She was bombarded with hugs from the three Freidman girls, who had spent the last few nights with Andy and Carli, as both an attempt to detach them from the Castles and also give Andy a little child rearing experience. Judging by Andy's exhausted look, he hadn't succeeded too well.

"Hey girls," Kate gushed, pulling them in tightly, kissing each of them gently on the head before they pulled away.

"Kate, we got you a present," Steffie explained, giving Bella an elbow in the arm before the young girl ran off and returned with a small gift bag. Tina stood behind her two younger sisters, watching the gratitude wash over their previous carer's expression.

"Don't worry, we already gave Rick and the kids their presents," Tina explained, Bella handing over the small bag with a huge grin.

Kate was fighting the urge to tear up; she was astounded at the generosity of three young children she'd only looked after for a month. She'd known letting them go would be hard after all that time, but she didn't imagine it could be this difficult.

Gesturing for them to come in, she wrapped them all in another tight embrace, feeling all six little arms cling to her.

"Thank you so much, girls," Kate whispered, not willing to let them go just yet.

"No, Kate, thank you," Tina replied, "Thank you for looking after us –"

"And for taking us to school, and making us yummy breakfast," Steffie interjected, "And letting us play with Alexis and David and Lucas and Elise –"

"And Kate?" Bella jumped in, taking a step back so she could look the older woman in the eyes, "Thank you for loving us."

"We're gonna miss you at our grandparents," Tina began, "But when Uncle Andy called them, they said we could still go to Greendale –"

"So we'd still see Alexis at school, and they said we could visit too, on weekends," Steffie rambled, as Bella nodded excitedly.

"And Grandma said she would take me to pre-school so I can still see David and Lucas," she added excitedly, "And Grandad said we could all go for ice cream sometimes!"

Kate was taken aback and tearing up at the three young girls, completely bewildered by their strength and dedication. Already, she knew in the short time, her children had become very attached to the Freidman family, as had Kate and Rick. Judging from the knowing look she was being given by Andy, he had had these ideas up his sleeve from the very beginning. Typical Andrew Beckett.

"That sounds wonderful, girls," Kate added with a smile, "I would love to have you over any time you like."

The moment all three beaming faces were staring up at her, Kate couldn't help but let the first tear fall, Bella looking up at her, confused.

"Kate, why are you sad?" she asked, reaching up to wipe away the tear.

"No, Bella, sweetie, I'm crying because you make me so happy," Kate replied, giving them each a gentle nudge on the shoulder, "Now go, go play."

Tina and Steffie began wandering off, their smiles the brightest they'd been since they lost their parents, while Bella hung back and threw herself around Kate's legs one last time.

"I love you, Kate," she murmured, before she ran off to follow her sisters, who were already sat on the couch with the Castle kids, Jim and Johanna.

"They're pretty amazing girls," Andy said, as he made his way over, drink in hand, a saunter in his step, a grin on his face.

"You got that right," Kate agreed with a nod, her eyes not daring to leave the sight of her children, _all_ her children, playing with their grandparents and newest baby cousin.

"I have to admit, they make having children pretty enjoyable," Andy began, "but it's exhausting."

Kate scoffed, turning to her brother, shaking her head.

"Try having four under the age of five, Andy," she exclaimed, "then tell me about being exhausted!"

**X X X X X**

**So, the family is on their way over and I'm going to have to stop there, but as a consequence of them coming early, they'll be leaving early, so I might be able to get one more Easter chapter in to detail the family festivities. For those asking about the Freidman girls, I was getting a bit ahead of myself, but I hadn't forgotten about them, just forgot to explain what happened to them. That will be cleared up in more detail both next chapter and after Easter (:**

**Have a good Easter everyone!**

**Kayla x**


	22. Chapter 22

**They're gone! Time to write! (:**

**X X X X X**

"Kids, come on over here," Johanna called, gesturing for each of the children to follow her into the kitchen. As well as the four Castle and three Freidman children, Scott had since arrived with his father, while Lizzie hung back, cradling Savannah.

Johanna and Jim, having raised their three curious and conniving children were adept at distraction while secret things were happening. While Johanna was showing the kids her baked goodies, also allowing them to help set out things for the adults, Jim was racing amongst the room, hiding eggs in all the strangest and best places.

"God, I love how Dad's tricks still work," Andy muttered, watching the oldest Beckett expertly hide all the eggs without even a peek from the kids, "It's even got me baffled how he does it."

"Years of training, my boy," Rick put in, "Years and _years_ of training."

"Oh hush, old man, you've only had five years of practice," Kate said, "Our Dad's had over thirty!"

"And it comes in handy now all the grandkids are growing up," Lizzie added, "I'll bet Elise is excited for her first Easter."

Rick shrugged, moving one step closer to Kate, an arm curling around her waist as he took a sip of his drink, Lizzie watching him with a raised eyebrow.

"She doesn't really know what's happening, she just likes all the colored stuff," Rick explained, "and she's has no aversion to the chocolate either."

With a chuckle amongst the siblings and their partners, Jim edged his way through them and over to the kids, small but empty gift bags in hand.

"Hey kids, guess what?" he exclaimed, all of the bright faces turning to face him instantly, eyes widening and jaws dropping at the living room before them. Granted, Jim was a skilled egg hider, but for the sake of the younger ones, he always left a significant amount in obvious places, where the colors really popped.

"The Easter Bunny's been!" Scott exclaimed, before shrieks and cries of enthusiasm erupted, Jim handing a bag to each of the children.

"Can we go now, Grandpa?" David pleaded, his hands gripping his bag, feet on the floor ready to run.

Instead of replying, he eyed each of them individually, eyes narrowed playfully as they burst into laughter, watching the silliness seep out of Jim. He held up his arms, using them as signals for when they were to begin. The laughter died but the smiles remained, as they poised themselves, ready to race for the nearest eggs to fill their bag.

"I think now would be a good time to move," Kate murmured, giving Rick a nudge backward, Lizzie following close behind, while Andy and Carli headed for the other side of the room.

"Rick, keep an eye on Elise, will you?" Kate added, "You're faster than me at the moment."

He gave a nod, before Jim's arms dropped, a loud 'Go!' escaping him as all eight children ran forward, squealing as they scrambled for the brightly wrapped confectionary.

Grinning, Kate watched her little ones search every nook and cranny, Elise being tugged along by Alexis, while the boys had created somewhat of a tag team, combining their egg findings. Tina was helping Bella, while Steffie had joined Alexis, each of them finding more and more eggs as they headed further into the house.

"Geez, Dad, how many did you hide?" Lizzie exclaimed, "Cos if your grandkids have sugar rushes, they're staying here!"

"Oh, hush you!" Jim exclaimed, chuckling as Johanna appeared beside him, "They have to share them out at the end anyway."

Kate rolled her eyes as she turned to Lizzie, the young woman staring adoringly at her one month old daughter. As her eyes lifted, she blushed to find Kate watching her, looking away bashfully before her older sister made her way over.

"It's okay to be totally mesmerized, you know," Kate said, a hand reaching up to stroke the soft hair atop Savannah's head.

Lizzie looked sideways at her, a close lipped smile on her face as she readjusted the blanket on the baby, before she gently passed her to Kate.

"Here sweetie, say hello to your Auntie Katie," Lizzie cooed, watching as her practiced sister held Savannah as though she weighed nothing.

"Hello there, miss Savannah," Kate whispered, her free hand reaching up to brush a thumb over her niece's cheek. She was fidgety, but not fussy, simply excited and curious about the person staring down at her with matching green eyes. Tiny hands were reaching up to Kate's face, a hand resting aside her breast gently, the other still stretching upward.

"She likes you," Lizzie said, both hands in her jeans pockets as she watched on, "she's usually fussy when other people hold her."

Only able to grin, Kate watched as the little fingers slowly dropped away, hands curling back into the blanket as a yawn escaped the baby girl. Giggling quietly to herself, Kate watched Savannah's eyes drift closed before the fidgeting ceased, the girl asleep almost straight away.

"All this Easter business wears out little ones, I think," Lizzie said, her gaze now on Rick, who was walking their way with a droopy Elise in his arms.

"Hmm, must be the case," Kate said, stepping forward to hand her niece back to her mother, "but I'm guessing it's all the hunting too."

"Oh, always," Lizzie agreed, gently taking her sleeping daughter and placing her in the stroller nearby, lowering the shade and draping a blanket over her, "You remember how conked out we would be after Easter?"

"What, with Dad's epic hunts or with traveling up to New Haven to visit the relatives?" Kate added coyly, appearing unimpressed as she recounted previous Easters just as Rick joined them, "Did little miss fall asleep, huh?"

"Well, she was staggering a little, so I picked her up and boom, gone," Rick explained, chuckling to himself quietly, head shaking, "all too much I think."

"Yeah, it's getting that way," Lizzie said on a sigh, "I expect my boy to sleep tonight!"

"You think they will, but they don't," Rick warned, before he sauntered off in the direction of Elise's stroller, leaving the sisters to watch the spectacle of returning children unfold.

"Momma, look how many I found!"

"Daddy, lookie here!"

"Mommy, see how many!"

"Daddy, I found so many!"

Jim stood in the center of the room, corralling the kids into a circle, each of them emptying their bags into one of the biggest piles of eggs Kate had ever seen.

"Oh dear lord," Kate muttered under her breath, as she watched Jim slowly start to dole out the eggs evenly, every child silent as they observed.

"I think it just gets worse and worse every year," Andy said, making his way over, "especially when there's more kids!"

"Are you going to be adding to the child count next year, Mr. Engaged?" Lizzie asked, arms crossed, Andy's jaw dropping almost immediately, leaving his sisters laughing.

"Liz, we're not getting married until July, we're not planning on a honeymoon baby," Andy explained, "that's Kate's trick."

"Hey!"

"Oh, he got you!"

"Shut up, Liz," Kate muttered, shaking her head as she turned to the kids in the middle of the floor, each of them happily examining their stocks of chocolate.

"So, Andy, when you booked that interview with the girls' grandparents, you remembered Monday is a public holiday, right?" Kate asked coyly, as her brother's eyes widened then softened, before he shook his head with a chuckle.

"No, I meant Tuesday," Andy said, "I just remembered 'first day of the working week', which is normally Monday."

"Glad to see the brains were given out evenly," Kate said with a cheeky grin, Lizzie smirking beside her as she covered her mouth to subside the laughter.

"Sorry Andy, I think you just got owned."

"To make it up to you, I booked the kids in at a vacation care thing so you and Rick are free," Andy said, "Gymnastics, so they should be entertained for the day."

"Oh yeah, and what about Elise?"

"Well, thanks to your ingenious plan to have the girls stay with us," Andy began, his tone half annoyed, half amused, "Carli's gotten clucky; she agreed to babysit Elise for the day."

"And you _don't_ want a honeymoon baby?" Lizzie exclaimed, scoffing and shaking her head, "Good luck with that one."

"Okay, okay, maybe we will turn out like Katie and Rick," Andy said, defeated, "Just without the whole _Cheaper By The Dozen_ thing."

"Andy, if I had twelve kids I would go crazy!"

"You already are crazy and you've only got four and a half," Andy reasoned.

"Five if I count you!"

"Katie two, Andy zero."

**X X X X X**

**And here ends Easter. I'm finding that there's only so many egg hunts you can write that will still be interesting after the first bajillion times, so I think that will do us. As for the Freidmans, don't worry; I've grown as attached to them as Kate has, so I have a feeling they will become a permanent part of the story, though don't hold me to it. As for the newest Castle bubba, Kate is now 23 weeks along, and is due early August (:**

**Kayla x**

**p.s. I know these chapters are really short, but you've gotten 3 in the last 24 hours, so I guess that kinda makes up for it. Enjoy!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Okay, so, before you freak out, story IS continuing! And, so you don't get confused, I'm picking up basically from current time (Early July). But, you should know, in my absence, little miss Elise turned 1 (on April 28) and also, Kate is now 36 weeks pregnant. I apologize profusely for the lateness of this chapter, but college work has really started to catch up with me, so I'm making the best of my time off! (:**

** X**

Flipping a page in the magazine, Kate sighed, taking in the silence that had taken over the loft. Kate had managed to convince Rick that it would be a good day to take all the kids to the park; their lives had basically been overrun with their pending arrival.

Not that the other Castle children weren't excited about this; Alexis was over the moon that she would have another little sibling to watch out for. Although Kate wasn't sure she was so thrilled with her eldest daughter's increasing interest in tending to dolls 'like when baby sister comes.'

Whenever Alexis would say this, Rick would be the first to remind her that it could also be baby brother. However, Kate knew how much Alexis wanted another little sister, having waited so long for little Elise to come around. David and Lucas weren't too fussed over whether it was a boy or girl, in fact, Kate was fairly certain they were more worried about whose room it was going to share.

Kate herself couldn't care less whether she got another son or daughter. All she was concerned with was the health of the baby, and whether it was going to keep her up at night as much as Alexis had when she was young. Rick of course didn't mind either, as long as it was a 'small human who loves it's daddy!'. Well, that's what Kate rolled her eyes at most of the time.

The phone ringing caused her to look up from yet another Brangelina story in her magazine, before she sighed. The phone was _all_ the way on the kitchen counter, and she was still sitting on the couch. Really, it wasn't exactly a long commute, but Kate groaned at the effort it took to hoist herself up off the couch. Damn Rick for getting the squishy ones.

By the time she reached the kitchen island, it had flicked over to the familiar voice of her husband speaking their answering machine message.

"…_You've reached the home of Rick and Kate Castle. We're not here right now, but if you leave us a line, we'll get back to you. Have a nice day!"_

There was a short silence followed by a beep, before Rick's voice played out again, though this time making her chuckle.

"Hey Kate, uh, so I sorta locked my keys in the car and, uh, all the food is in there, and now the kids are whining and I know you're on the other end of this answering machine laughing at me, so just pick up the phone before I destroy your cell with missed calls!"

Still under fire from Rick's pleading for her to pick up the phone, Kate laughed some more before she reached down and plucked the receiver from its place.

"Richard Castle, I can never let you leave the house without supervision," she began, "_and_ you ramble into the answering machine."

"I do not!" Rick bit back, before Kate heard the whining of David in the background that he was hungry.

"You do," Kate reiterated, shaking her head, "how did you manage to lock your keys in the car?"

"Well, I kinda thought they were in my pocket when I told Alexis to lock the door and shut it," Rick began, "but, turns out they were in the glove compartment."

"And why is Alexis locking the door of the car?" Kate asked in both a confused and accusatory tone.

"Because Elise was fussing, I was getting her sorted," Rick explained, "And the boys were jumping around a fire hydrant near the street; I don't know how you manage to corral them all when you're by yourself."

Smirking, Kate moved as her husband spoke, wandering toward the closet by the front door to retrieve her coat and shoes. She was fairly sure her keys were in the pocket of her favourite black trench as well.

"Listen you, which park did you end up going to?" Kate asked, "I can come and pick you up –"

"No, no, it's fine, Kate," Rick insisted, a hint of worry in his voice, "really, it's okay. I'll get them an ice cream and we'll take the subway home and come back for the car later."

"Rick, seriously, I can –"

"No, Kate, you can't."

Sighing, frustrated, Kate shoved the closet door shut again, stomping back toward the kitchen with a vengeance.

"Rick, I am _pregnant_, not a wall flower!" Kate shouted, fuming, but seemingly lost for words. There was an awkward silence that emitted between the couple, as Rick cleared his throat and begun to speak, but was cut off by Kate.

"See you when you get home."

With that, she didn't wait for a reply and slammed the phone down on the counter. In recent weeks (_months more like it_, Kate thought), Rick had become extremely overprotective. Honestly, Kate didn't care for it, in fact, she found it extremely annoying and overbearing. She knew it was out of love and care, but that didn't make it any less unbearable.

Knowing that Rick wouldn't take the kids very far from SoHo, she sighed, assured that he would be home in less than an hour. Glancing at the clock, she knew she had time to fit in a shower before they returned, and her frantically hungry children would all want feeding, and some of them, perhaps a nap.

Man, _she_ could use a nap!

"Mommy!"

The shrill, searching shriek of Alexis greeted Kate as she stepped out of the bathroom, hair wrapped in a towel, dressed in fresh clothes. She knew they would be demanding food, knowing that Rick would still be frazzled from the events of the day, and probably still wrangling Elise.

As she quickly toweled her hair dry and threw it back in the direction of the bathroom, she waddled her way back into the living room, to find her munchkins all sitting at the kitchen island, with the exception of Elise, who was snoozing in her daddy's arms.

"Mommy, thank god you're here!" Alexis exclaimed, sitting up straight in her seat, eyes wide, "we're _starving_!"

There were whines of agreement from the boys, who were putting on their best puppy dog faces, expressions which only left Kate chuckling to herself.

"So, lunch for everyone?" Kate offered, heading past the three little Castles for the kitchen, amongst exclamations of agreement.

A skill that Kate had put down to having four, soon to be five, children, she was able to pull together a chicken salad, slice a breadstick and dole out glasses of juice in just over 10 minutes.

The food was greeted with exciteable thanks, just as Rick came sauntering back downstairs. Kate hadn't even seen him slip out to put Elise to bed; clearly he had more stealth than she thought.

"Happily fed now, my children," Rick said with a grin, receiving muffled grunts of affirmation, before he turned, chuckling, to his smirking wife.

"What?" he exclaimed, suffering the intense gaze and shaking head of an amused Kate.

Rick's eyes narrowed playfully, watching Kate turn back to the kids, who were chattering amongst themselves and reaching for more salad.

"No, no, Alexis, I'll do that, sweetness," Kate urged, watching her daughter wrestle with the salad tongs.

"But Mommy –"

"I know, you're a big girl now, but even Daddy has trouble with the salad tongs," Kate murmured, leaving the little redhead giggling.

"Momma, can I have some too please?" David asked, pushing his plate gently toward the large salad bowl, while Lucas was still attempting to stick a fork through his lettuce.

"Lucas, honey, I don't think that's going to work," Kate added, her hands moving from Alexis' plate to David's, as she felt Rick's warmth at her side. As quick as Lucas' stubbornness would allow, Rick began to help his youngest son with his lettuce.

Kate reveled in the quietness that was her family at mealtimes. It made her chuckle to herself as she looked to Rick, who was sharing an equally glowing look. Staring into his bright blue eyes, Kate remembered exactly when they'd met each other; never had she imagined having this beautiful, picture perfect family on that day in Central Park.

Not in the least…

** X**

It was late, maybe very early, Kate wasn't sure. Either way, the loft was dark and quiet when she woke, grasping the empty sheets beside her. Where was Rick? And _why_ did he always have to choose the most inconvenient times to be gone?

Kate had had an inkling for a few days now that the baby would come early, as had Rick. That was probably one of the many reasons why he was being so overprotective.

Groaning as she moved, she pulled herself up, slowly making her way to the bedroom door. As she passed through the study, where she expected to find Rick, she whimpered at its emptiness.

"Rick!" she called quietly, grunting as she walked toward the bottom of the staircase. At the top, she could see a light on coming from the far end of the corridor. As she ascended the stairs – which appeared even more treacherous tonight – she could hear quiet chatting, and the smallest voice she could hear was shaky.

Almost immediately, the fact that she needed to go to the hospital, that the baby was coming, that all left her mind. The thing Kate now had her mind set on was finding out why her little angel at the end of the hall was upset. She made her way slowly toward Alexis' room, where the door was ajar, and she could hear two voices whispering.

"…but what if I have a nightmare again, Daddy?" Alexis sobbed quietly, as Kate rounded the corner. Rick was cradling a head of orange hair in the crook of his arm, his free hand pulling the blanket up to her chin as he spoke.

"I'll stay here until you fall asleep, okay?" he added, as the small girl curled up tighter in his arms.

"Rick," Kate whispered, as she stepped into the room, wincing yet again as she silenced an exuberant grunt.

"And Mommy will be here too, okay?" Rick cooed, watching Alexis nod sleepily in his arms. Kate gave a small pitiful frown, as she took a seat beside her husband, letting a hand fall gently onto her daughter's head.

Before Kate and Rick could think twice, Alexis was sound asleep in their grasp. Looking sideways, Rick saw the adoring smile creep across Kate's face as she let her fingers run through Alexis' hair.

Then, her face fell, her free hand flew from Rick's, where it had been gently resting, to her stomach. He heard her breathing change suddenly, albeit momentarily, before it returned to normal, and she relaxed beside him.

Without speaking, Rick slowly re-adjusted Alexis so she was resting on her pillow rather than his knee, before he stood slowly. Kate readily took Rick's outstretched hands as he pulled her to her feet, switched off the bedside lamp and led her out of the room.

"Come on, Katie," he urged, as Kate paused to peer into both David and Lucas' rooms as she passed.

They made it down the stairs, and Rick sat her gently at the dining table, where Lizzie had been sitting only months ago just before little Savannah was born. After fixing her a glass of water, he moved quickly back to the bedroom, collected her overnighter that had been packed for two weeks, and made his way back to her side.

Neither were panicked; as Lizzie said, they had plenty of experience, and luckily, Kate had had next to no problems throughout the pregnancy. And, thanks to Kate's superior organizational skills, they already had a game plan.

Rick was dialing Jim and Johanna's number as they sat, Kate's hand in his as he answered.

"Hey, Jim, sorry to call you so late," Rick began, flicking a small smile at Kate, who was fiddling absent-mindedly with the sleeve of his robe.

"No, she's doing okay, but if you could make it – okay, fantastic, see you soon, Jim."

As Rick placed the phone down on the table, he pulled up the chair beside Kate and let his arm fall over her shoulders. She leant into him willingly, letting her eyes flutter shut with a sigh, her hand still entwined in his.

"They're on their way," Rick murmured, planting a small kiss just onto her hairline. Feeling her nod gently under his chin, he let his other hand rest on her thigh, his thumb making tiny circles just in front of her bump.

"I don't think this is going to be a long one, Rick," Kate murmured, her breathing sharper than moments before, her shoulders tense under his embrace.

"Hmm, we've never had a morning baby before," Rick mused, "Alexis took her time –"

"God, you bet she did!"

Chuckling, Rick pushed a stray lock of slightly sweaty hair from her face before he continued, "And David wasn't too quick either, and Lucas was kind enough to wait until you were awake before he decided he'd like to start being born."

"Rick, tell me something I don't know," Kate muttered in reply, turning quickly to offer an apologetic look. She hadn't meant to sound that malicious when she spoke.

"It's okay," he added quickly, with a smile and a kiss, "but just for the record, I do know something you don't know."

With that, Kate looked sideways, an eyebrow raised.

"Really?" Kate began, "You're picking now to be annoyingly immature and coy?"

Eyes narrowing, Rick stuck his tongue out, earning an eye roll, "But in all honesty, you want to know what I know that you don't?"

"Richard!"

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you," he began, looking her in the eye and offering a dramatic pause, which got that glare that he was expecting. The one that pierced you right through, and that, he wouldn't admit, drove him crazy.

"Are you sure you wanna know?"

"Rick, please, just tell me –"

"It's about the baby," he said, stopping Kate, who was worried at first, until she saw the grin on Rick's face.

"Oh, Rick, you said you would leave it as a surprise!" Kate groaned, "That's not fair!"

"I can't help it if I'm curious!" Rick exclaimed, as Kate rolled her eyes, grunted loudly, then sighed in annoyance.

"Well, are you going to tell me?" she urged, as the sound of the elevator dinged outside, telling her that the Becketts had arrived.

Giddy as ever, Rick stood spun in his place and squatted in front of Kate, her hands in his as he spoke.

"We're having a girl!"

** X**

**I am SO sorry for this taking so long. I'm not even going to bother making excuses for myself, because there really isn't any that would suffice you wonderful, wonderful people. **

**Please enjoy, and don't worry if you feel I've skipped too much, as this runs in current time, I felt obliged to keep up with it, even though there was a large gap in the middle. Because this is mainly a fluff-filled FF, you'll get to see all the aspects of Caskett domestic bliss!**

**Kayla x**


	24. Chapter 24

**So, I'm not torturing Kate by leaving the new chapter for as long, but my computer died just after I posted the last chapter. This is the first time I've had it back since it was fixed, so here is the new chapter, picking up the same evening, and then we shall fast forward if needed. **

**But do keep in mind the 'real time' thing is just a general guideline as to the time of year, not like holy-moly-the-Castle-family-has-72-hour-days sort of real time. Just as a heads up.**

** X**

Lizzie bolted down the stairs in her apartment building, skipping them two at a time and praying she didn't fall flat on her face. She poured herself out onto the street, her eyes darting for a free cab that she could jump in.

Despite Kate telling her she needn't rush, Lizzie was frantic in her search, as she sprinted down 84th street, keeping her eyes peeled for a cab as she ran. If all else failed, she would run to the hospital; at this time of night, it wouldn't take her too long. Luckily, she found one on the next corner, practically diving into the back seat and barking the destination to the driver before they were off.

Frankly, Lizzie didn't understand why she was going so crazy. Kate had been calm on the phone, and she was the one who had every right to be manic. And, if she were being realistic, Kate had never had any problems with any of her kids, nor were there any issues now. In fact, Lizzie chuckled quietly to herself at her absurdity, as she sat back in the seat, watching the lights flash past as she replayed the phone conversation from only minutes ago.

_Hand flailing on top of the bedside cabinet, Lizzie frantically attempted to silence her vibrating phone. Lifting it up, she squinted at the caller ID, sitting up straight almost instantly._

"_Katie, what's wrong?"_

"_Well good morning to you too," Kate added with a strained chuckle. _

"_Kate, seriously," Lizzie demanded, "Why are you calling me at 3 in the morning?"_

"_Calm down, Liz," Kate urged, "you worry too much."_

"_Are you in the car?" Lizzie asked, ignoring her sister's statement, "Why are you in the car? Where are you going?"_

_Kate sighed, both in succumbing to her sister's adamant questions, but also to subside an outburst at the sharp pain in her stomach._

"_Rick's taking me to the hospital," Kate began, continuing through the gasp at the other end of the line, "Not because anything's wrong –"_

"_No of course nothing's wrong," Lizzie cut in, aggravated._

"_Liz, honestly, I'm fine," Kate replied, her tone soft, "I just called because I want you to be there."_

_Pausing as she comprehended the words, Lizzie slowly removed the covers and climbed out of bed, gazing back at Reid momentarily before she headed out of the room. Before she could speak, there was a loud clatter accompanied by a cry, which she knew could only have come from Kate._

"_Katie?" _

_There were muffled noises, like the phone was sliding around the floor of a car, before the speaking voices of Lizzie's sister and brother-in-law became clearer._

"_Katie, are you okay?" Lizzie demanded._

"_Yes, Lizzie, I'm fine," Kate replied, "but I have to go, we're at the hospital."_

"_Okay, okay, I'm on my way, alright?" Lizzie added quickly, throwing her robe on the couch and pulling on a jacket from the coat stand as she headed for the door, "I'll be there as soon as I can, Katie."_

"_Whenever you can, Liz," Kate added, her voice still soft, so soft that Lizzie felt a moment of calm as she quickly pulled on a pair of boots, the phone stuck between her ear and shoulder._

"_Okay, good luck, Katie – I love you," Lizzie quietly said, grasping her keys in her pocket and reaching for the door handle._

"_Love you too."_

** X**

Arriving at the hospital, Lizzie was both panting and more at ease now that she was finally here. She had given up on her cab search, and decided it would be quicker to run here. She also remembered how much she didn't like Manhattan at night, a thought that had come to her several times on her run.

As she wandered toward the elevator, she had a sense of déjà vu, except the last time she was here, she wasn't nearly this relaxed. In fact, she found herself almost giddy with excitement, pushing the button that would take her to the floor of the maternity ward. Taking the time that she had, Lizzie sent a quick message to Reid; she realized she hadn't left any note of explanation as to her sudden disappearance.

The ding of the elevator accompanied the 'Message Sent' icon on her cell, a smile on her face as she stepped out into the bright white of the hospital corridors. It took a few corners and a long hallway before she arrived in the waiting area, which was surprisingly empty at the moment. There was a small desk at opposite the plastic chairs, where an older woman was standing with a clipboard in her hand, her eyes flicking between that and the computer that Lizzie supposed was beneath the bench top.

"Excuse me," Lizzie began, as she headed over to be greeted with a now smiling nurse.

"Good morning dear, how can I help you?" she exclaimed brightly, standing straight while Lizzie returned the grin before she spoke.

"My sister came in about an hour ago, she was in labor –"

"Are you Kate Castle's sister?" the nurse asked, "Sorry to butt in on you, but she did mention she'd be expecting you."

Of course; it was typical of Kate to think about someone other than herself, even when it was completely inappropriate.

"Uh, yeah, that's me," Lizzie replied, "how is she?"

"I'll just go and check on her for you," the nurse said, "I won't be long, if you'd like to take a seat."

Smiling in thanks, Lizzie turned slowly and moved toward the seating area. There was only one other person in the room, who was sitting in the far corner, nose buried in a magazine. If Lizzie had to guess, she'd say it was a soon-to-be grandfather, judging by the greyed hair and softly wrinkled face. His eyes were soft and bright green, and he didn't seem to be able to keep the grin from his face.

_First time Grandpa_, Lizzie thought to herself with a smile, reaching into her pocket absent-mindedly and checking her phone. There were no messages from Reid yet, although it was still only 4am.

There was a shuffling of feet beside her, as a nurse appeared in the doorway, though not the same nurse as before.

"Excuse me, Mr. Thomson?" she called, as the man's head snapped up almost as quickly as he stood. The magazine he'd been reading lay all but forgotten on the seat beside him, as he took a few expectant steps toward the doorway.

"Your daughter wants to see you," the nurse said, gesturing for him to follow, his grin growing wider and wider with each step he took.

As he brushed past Lizzie, she reached out and gave his arm a gently squeeze, to which he beamed. Lizzie figured that was all that was on his mind at that given time.

"Congratulations," she said with a smile, before receiving a nodded thank you as he bustled off.

A few moments passed until the nurse Lizzie had spoken to earlier reappeared.

"Mrs. Dwyer?" she asked, to which Lizzie stood, grinning, as the nurse inclined her head and invited her to follow.

To her surprise, Kate's room was not all that far from the waiting room, but it was far enough away for the nurse to speak briefly with Lizzie.

"Your sister is doing just fine," she said, "and the baby is perfectly healthy. Although, I'm sure you'd much rather see that for yourself."

Pushing the door gently open with a wide smile, Lizzie gave a nod of gratitude to the nurse, before she headed into the small room.

Upon walking in, Lizzie was forced to stop in her place to prevent interrupting the image she saw. Kate was on the bed, laying back, while Rick sat on the edge beside her. Their hands were joined over the small, peaceful child that was sleeping in Kate's arms, wrapped in a pink blanket that looked delectably soft.

The hazel eyes of Kate looked up slowly with a smile, along with an inclination of her head, "Come meet your niece."

Taking herself forward, Lizzie was almost lost for words, watching Rick, who was staring intently yet adoringly at his newborn daughter. It didn't seem that anything would snap him out of his trance.

"Don't you mean my third niece?" Lizzie added with a chuckle, taking a seat on the opposite side of Kate.

In the few moments it had taken for Lizzie to reach her sister's side, the tiny girl in her arms had since woken. Her hands were clenched into fists, and her bright hazel eyes were searching the room curiously. Rick looked as though he was going to burst with pride, as his daughter's eyes fell on him, his eyes swimming with happiness as he watched.

"She's beautiful, Katie," Lizzie whispered, the sound causing the tiniest pair of eyes in the room to snap to Lizzie, before they landed on Kate, who was gazing contently at her daughter.

"She's perfect," Rick added.

There was a long moment of silent adoration, as little arms reached up as high as they could, before they fell slowly, eyes drifting closed as she settled back into a gentle, peaceful sleep.

"So, what does this little munchkin go by?" Lizzie asked, reaching for the tuft of dark auburn hair and letting it slide gently through her fingers.

"Jessica," Rick said, his eyes looking up for the first time since Lizzie had arrived to beam at her. Obviously Rick was responsible for the name.

Kate gave an unvoiced agreement before she spoke, "Yup, miss Jessica Lee Castle."

"Born July 21, 2012," Rick added, before the room slipped once again into a quietness, all eyes resting on little Jessica Castle.

** X**

**This chapter follows the other one, as in the same day/night etc. As you've read, it's currently July 21, but I will be fast forwarding to early August when I write my next chapter. Again, apologies for the lateness, but it was sort of unavoidable in this case. **

**Kayla x**


	25. Chapter 25

**Because of the dire lateness of this chapter, it will be simply starting where we are now, which means we get another Castle Christmas! And, with **_**Secret Santa**_** just out, I assume Castle Christmases are on everyone's mind! I know I've already done a Christmas chapter with these guys before, so I'll try and make it a little different. **

** X**

"Mommy, come on, get up!" Lucas cried, shaking the shoulders of his mother gently as she rolled over and groaned.

Sighing in frustration, Lucas jumped down off the bed and went running off into the living room, crying out, "Mommy won't get up! Mommy's being a lazy sleepy head!"

It wasn't that she didn't want to get up – well, okay, maybe it was, but somehow, Kate just couldn't seem to muster up the energy to move. Rick had been up at least two hours ago, most likely organizing the children. Both Jessica and Elise would be up as well, meaning Rick was wrangling both babies as well as the three older kids.

Thinking that, Kate knew she would have to get up, if only to relieve him of Mr. Mommy duties. Slowly, she rolled herself up into a sitting position, taking notice of the sore spots and of the particularly nasty headache that was forming. She couldn't exactly pinpoint why she felt this way; last night had shaped up like most others lately. Rick would pick up the kids from school, they'd go walking to the coffee shop that was on the corner, where the kids would be treated to hot cocoa and baked goodies, before they walked a little further to Kate's office for when she finished work. Rick always had Kate's coffee of choice, although, at this time of the year, it was now whatever festive hot drink he felt like bringing her along with a gingerbread man.

They would then go home, Kate and Rick would cook dinner while Jessica and Elise had an afternoon nap. Alexis, David and Lucas would usually be upstairs playing games or downstairs watching television. After dinner, they would do something together, watch a movie, play a board game or something. Sometimes Rick would read them a story that would eventually lull the babies, and on occasion, Lucas and David, to sleep.

Alexis was always the last to be in bed at 8:30pm, after which Rick and Kate would retire to the couch to relax or the study if they had work to do. Last night, Kate had had a case file to read over, so Rick had written a chapter or two for good measure. It hadn't been a particularly eventful evening, nor a late one.

It was because of this, Kate had absolutely no idea why she felt so miserably shocking. Still, she managed to shuffle her way into the living room, where she was greeted with the usual muffled and incoherent voices of her kids. Elise was now beginning to speak almost all the time, and Lucas had come into what Rick called his 'eloquent stage' where he could now hold a full conversation with his parents.

As she watched the kids, it hit her at how fast they were growing up. Last Christmas time, Alexis had been at least a half a foot shorter, and less grown up. She was, for a six year old, a very sophisticated young girl, and was adamant she could do everything herself now, which, she basically could. She had adapted to the role of the eldest child very well, and had taken to school even better. Kate's favorite part of the day was listening to Alexis tell her all the things she'd done at school, and all the new discoveries she'd made.

David had grown up just as much, looking more and more like Rick every day. He was soon to be five, a prospect which to David seemed immensely fantastic. The most exciting part about turning five, in David's opinion, was that he was able to start school, albeit it still many months away. Although, because of this, the young boy had felt he really ought to start working on his reading and his words, which delighted Rick greatly.

Lucas too was getting more and more intelligent as the weeks went by. His reading ability was, to Kate, unseemly good, and he could already read most of the books he owned by himself. He had continually been asking Kate for a 'grown up book', and in fact read some with Kate before he went to sleep. His favorite 'grown up book' so far was a children's version of _The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe_. It didn't have as many pictures as his other books, something that delighted Lucas very much, as he told his mother it felt like he was reading like a grown up.

As Kate wandered around to Elise, who was now sitting at the big table on top of a cushion to eat, she thought about just how much like Alexis she was, yet so different at the same time. Elise was now in her own bedroom upstairs, was beginning to speak more and use her words, and often had quite the conversation with Rick from time to time. Her favorite thing to do was help Daddy around the house, and Rick would often set her to putting things back where they belong. If she wasn't helping Daddy, she would be at the kitchen island opposite Mommy helping her cook or put together her siblings' lunches for the next day.

Jessica was still only very young, almost five months old, and spent most of her time in the arms of her mother or father. At the moment, she was sitting with Alexis, who was cuddling her furiously. Jessica was a content little baby, Kate though, and didn't seem to mind all the attention, and was fairly placid when her siblings were playing with her. Her favorite game was with David, who poked his tongue out her, and she would do it back. Rick was trying furiously to teach her how to blow a raspberry, much to Kate's dismay.

Alexis giggled as Jessica's little hand reached up to her nose, poking it gently and squeezing it, although her attention was quickly turned when she saw Kate.

"Hey, Jessie girl," Kate cooed, reaching down to stroke the young one's cheek. Both of Jessica's hands reached up to touch Kate's squeezing her fingers gently before releasing and reaching up for her mother, kicking her legs expectantly.

Every time the young girl was in her arms, Kate couldn't stop grinning. She was often caught by Rick, who chuckled a little at Kate's captivation, but in her opinion, there was no one more captivating to her than her kids.

"Hey, Mommy?" David began, turning in his seat to face Kate, her eyes looking briefly away from Jessica to David, "Are we going to get a Christmas tree today?"

Being that it was Saturday, Kate had the day off, and Rick had worked hard to finish the chapters he needed to by today so that the family could go in search of a tree. If they didn't do it today, Kate didn't know when they'd get a chance, as she was working next weekend, and the following weekend would be Christmas party preparations.

"I think we could probably go looking for a Christmas tree today, what do you think, Rick?" Kate asked, watching the children in the room go very quiet as they all looked expectantly at their father. It was no secret that the Christmas tree was the favorite part of the Castle household. Not only did they get to go and choose it themselves, but the decorating was fantastic fun for everyone. Usually, Kate's parents and Martha would come over to help out, and on occasion, Lanie, although Kate was sure Lanie had her own plans this year.

Rick was standing in the kitchen, wasting time and making the kids very anxious as he scratched his chin thoughtfully, sighing.

"Well, you see, we _could_ go today," he began, his eyes darting amusingly between Alexis and David, unsure who was more nervous at the moment, "but you know, it's just been snowing, so there's all the pretty, soft snow everywhere, perfect for snow angels, actually, and the sun is out and everything –"

"Come on, Daddy, _please_ can we go?" David pleaded, "It's the perfect day outside!"

Shaking her head in laughter, Kate watched as Rick gave another quick huff before saying, "Oh, alright then, we're going Christmas tree shopping!"

There was a unanimous and exuberant cheer from the kids as they all quickly scrambled from their seats and ran upstairs, the four kids chattering excitedly as they went.

"Careful up the stairs, kids!" Kate called after them, muffled 'Yes Mommy's' meeting her in reply as she wandered over to Rick.

"Here, take Jessie, get her organized, I'll go wrangle the munchkins upstairs," Kate said, giving a delighted Jessica to her father and leaving a kiss on both her cheek and his lips before wandering up the stairs herself. She could hear Rick quietly chattering to Jessica, saying or doing something that was clearly funny, hearing the five month old shriek with laughter as they made their way into the nursery downstairs.

Reaching the top landing, Kate walked first by Alexis' room on the left, to find her neatly arranging her clothing on her bed. There was a pair of white stockings laid out beside a red skirt, one of Alexis' favorites, a white t-shirt with stitched flowers, a white sweater with pink cuffs and finally a pink and red parka. On the ground were a pair of red, leather boots, ones Alexis had received from Martha for her birthday in October, and Kate saw the young redhead emerge from the cupboard carrying a cream, woolen scarf and gloves.

Knowing Alexis was perfectly capable of dressing herself, she moved across the hall to find Lucas and David both playing in David's room instead of getting ready. She blamed Rick for this one; both boys had lightsabers, and of course, to be original, last night's movie choice had been _Star Wars_.

"Come on, boys, you can play Jedi later," Kate said, chuckling as she walked into the room, pushing past them to the dresser and wardrobe. From inside both, she pulled a pair of jeans, a blue t-shirt with Artoo-Detoo on it (just to stay with the theme!), a white sweater and a blue parka. She left the clothes on David's bed, before she gestured Lucas out of the room.

"Put on your boots when you're dressed, okay David?" Kate added, with a nod from the young boy, who was delicately putting away his lightsabers.

Kate followed Lucas out of the room, to find Rick in the hallway with Jessica, who was all rugged up in a mixture of pink and white.

"Rick, can you go and help Lucas out?" Kate asked, "I've just got to go check on Elise."

With a nod, Rick turned to see Lucas standing bewildered at his wardrobe doors, so far only able to pull out his own jeans and a belt.

"Come on, Jessie, let's go see Lucas, huh?" Rick murmured to the baby in his arms, who was fiddling intently with his ear.

With a chuckle, Rick set her down on Lucas' bed, leaving her with a stuffed dinosaur to play with and taking a seat beside her, one hand on her back, the other on his knee.

"You good, buddy?" Rick asked, giving the young boy a smile as he turned around.

Nodding, Lucas took a minute to take in what his father was wearing, then went to his dresser and began rummaging. Soon after, he pulled out a plain green t-shirt, ran over to put it on the bed beside his jeans, then ran back over to his dresser and found a different drawer to rummage.

"Shut the other drawer, Lucas," Rick instructed, "you might hit your head."

"Thank you, Daddy," Lucas murmured, pushing the other drawer carefully closed then continuing with his new search for a sweater. He soon found a pale blue one, and shuffled over to his bed carrying it.

"Is this okay, Daddy?" Lucas asked, to which Rick simply nodded.

"Although, I think you might need a parka, Mr. Lucas," Rick added, "It's a bit cold outside."

With a quick nod, Lucas ran over to pull out his favorite, white parka from the wardrobe. Deciding his son was set, Rick stood up gently, reaching down to pick up the still thoroughly enthralled Jessica from the bed and wandered out of the room.

Looking across the hall, he saw Kate helping a fidgety Elise into a purple dress, having already put her in a pair of tights of a lighter shade of purple. With Kate helping, Rick knew Elise would be ready very soon, while he looked down the hall to see Alexis and David chatting to each other as they walked down the stairs together, parkas and scarves in hand.

** X**

**Last time, we didn't get to see the family pick out their tree, as Kate was injured from the car accident. However, this time, we will see it, just in the next chapter! **


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry, I missed a day again. But I'm here, I'm catching up!**

** X**

Kate sighed back into her seat, the car rolling to a stop at a set of traffic lights. The back seats were noisy with excited anticipation of picking out a tree, while Jessica simply slept through it. How, though, Kate didn't know.

"Dad, can we get a tree as big as last time?" Alexis asked exuberantly, the young redhead almost exploding out of her seat, "Please, Daddy?"

"Yeah, and this year Jessica can put the angel on top of the tree!" David exclaimed brightly, a comment that left both Kate and Rick grinning.

"I don't think she's quite ready for that yet, David," Rick added with a chuckle.

"Well, then who's gonna do it?" Lucas cried, his little eyes wide, all the sincerity in his voice causing Kate to stifle her laughter.

"I'm sure we'll figure it out," she replied instead, an answer that seemed to leave Lucas content for the moment, the young boy shrugging and leaning back into his seat, staring out the window at the lightly falling snow outside.

Admittedly, Kate couldn't have hoped for better weather. Despite the soft flakes of snow that were floating through the sky, it was still very sunny, and it made the buildings and the streets glisten white. Along with all the Christmas decorations up in the city, it was truly spectacular; Kate felt she would never get sick of a New York holiday season.

"Mommy, can we go to the park after?" David asked, "So we can build a snowman?"

Kate shrugged to herself, glancing at her watch, realizing it was actually earlier than she had thought.

"Maybe after lunch, David," Kate added, "if the weather stays nice."

There was a communal cheer in the back seats, Kate looking quickly and anxiously at Jessica, grinning before she turned forward again. Her little girl hadn't stirred at all, surprisingly enough; the Castle clan were well known for being a bit noisy at times.

"We're almost there, kids!" Rick exclaimed, gasps of excitement and the sound of scrambling to look out the window filled the car as they turned slowly into the Christmas Tree Farm.

There were quiet whispers of awe amongst the kids, and Kate found herself feeling much the same way; the snow had fallen so lightly as to coat just the very top and tips of the trees outside, and as the sun shone off them, their branches sparkled.

The car pulled to stop, Rick and Kate removing their seatbelts and climbing out. The brisk air hit them both, as they quickly attempted to pull on their coats, amongst the impatient calls of their children.

"Come on, Mommy!"

"Daddy, hurry up!"

"Chill out, guys, we're coming!" Rick said, in a way that was both light-hearted yet somewhat reprimanding their demanding.

"Get your coats, it's pretty cold," Kate advised, as she closed her own door, then slid open the back door, as Lucas, who had been sitting closest, scrambled out. He was holding his coat in his hand, and Kate had to grab him quickly before he ran off too far. Although he shrugged off her hold and got a stern mention of his name, he was quite happy standing where he was; he could see the tops of the tallest trees over past the car.

"Lucas, can you put your coat on please?" Kate asked, reaching into the car to let out David and Alexis from the back seat, who were climbing out excitedly, parkas clutched in their hands.

"But I'm not cold," Lucas reasoned.

"No, but you'll get a cold if you don't put it on," Kate said, "and you don't want to spend Christmas with a cold do you?"

"But Mommy, I'm not gonna get a cold –"

"Lucas," Rick called through the car sternly, Lucas looking over his shoulder cautiously, "put your coat on."

"Okay," he sighed, struggling to get his first arm inside the coat. Kate shook her head with a little chuckle, before she bent down to help the three and half year old into his parka.

Behind Kate, Alexis was helping Elise out of the car, wrapping her arms tightly around her as she lowered her gently to the ground, careful of the ice that was scattered over the ground.

"Tank 'oo Lessis!" Elise said with a beaming grin, as her big sister started to help her put her coat on, but the young girl was too busy jumping around and trying to get her mother's attention to worry about her coat.

"Elise, come on!" Alexis muttered, frustrated, as she watched Elise squat down to investigate and poke at a patch of ice on the ground.

"Mommy, see!" Elise cried, standing up and racing over to tug on Kate's coat, Alexis still trailing after her.

"I see that Elise doesn't have her coat on yet," Kate murmured, taking the little girl's coat from a huffing Alexis, and putting it on the still distracted Elise.

"Brrr!" Elise exclaimed with a giggle as her coat was being put on, Kate silently shaking her head at the silliness. She was definitely so much like Rick.

"That's why you need your coat on, silly!" Kate exclaimed, tapping her daughter gently on the nose as she spoke, Elise squealing excitedly in delight, giggling as she turned back to Alexis, who was standing patiently beside the car.

"Mom, are we going in soon?" Alexis asked, "Daddy has Jessie in the stroller."

Offering a quick nod to her eldest daughter, she turned around to see David and Lucas had already ran over to the fence around the trees, faces right up against it, pointing at the marvels before them.

"_Boys_!" Kate called exasperatedly, both of them turning at the stern shout, immediately racing back toward their mother, whose hands were on her hips, a fierce glare in her eye.

"You know better than to run off like that," she murmured, both boys now staring at their sneaker-clad feet.

"Sorry Mommy," they mumbled, almost incoherently to Kate, but she heard it nonetheless. Turning to Rick, she saw he was now talking softly to the little girl in the stroller in front of him, walking over toward the tall pine trees behind the fence.

"Okay, kidlets, let's go!" Kate called, reaching her right hand out to Elise, who was already clinging to Alexis heartily, and her left to Lucas, who took it half-heartedly, along with his brother's, still minimally shameful for running off before. Together, the five headed toward Rick, who turned, grinning at his wife and children walking excitedly toward him, rugged up in their winter clothes, off to find the family's perfect Christmas tree.

** X**

They walked for what seemed like an eternity, up and down the rows and rows of trees, gaping at their size – though they were not so large to Kate and Rick, to the children, they seemed to reach toward the sky.

Admittedly, Kate was not at all the perfectionist that Rick was when it came to the right Christmas tree. It was a trait, however, she felt that been withheld from their kids; as eager as Rick, they ambled about, deciding whether the tall pine was too leafy, not leafy enough, leaned to the left or was uneven on one side. Kate found it comical at the state they were getting into; it seemed they just couldn't find the perfect Castle Christmas tree!

"Mommy, you needa help!" Lucas exclaimed, grabbing his mother's hand and dragging her onward, the surprised Kate desperately careful of little Jessica in her arms. She was awake and peering around, reaching out at the still lightly falling snow and to the branches of the closely standing trees. Kate had abandoned the stroller in the little building at the entrance, deciding that since the baby was awake, it would be easier to move about.

"Lucas, be gentle, please," Kate said, following after her eager 3 year old quickly, as he was as quickly gone as he had appeared.

"Hey, kiddo, where'd you go?" she called out, immediately startled by a head popping out from an invisible passage between the trees.

"Right here!" he exclaimed with a giggle, climbing through the protruding branches to lead his mother around the long way, in his opinion, to where Rick and the remainder of the children were standing staring at a tree.

It was quite a funny scene to behold, really; Rick had one arm crossed, the other gently stroking his chin in thought. David had and almost identical stature, while Alexis stood by, hands on hips, staring upward. Elise was bewildered, her hands by her side and mouth gaping open as she peered directly up to the very top of the tree – it was a long way up for her!

"What about this one, Mommy?" Lucas asked, causing all the eyes that were on the tree to now be on her, expectantly awaiting her reply.

She took the time to look at it, walked around it for a few moments. Despite her tree-selecting ability to be not so quite up to par with that of her husband and children, she was quite certain this was a rather fantastic tree.

"Looks pretty good to me!" she started, walking a little closer, stopping between David and Alexis, "I mean, there's no tilt, it's perfectly even on both sides, just the right height…"

"Looks like we've got ourselves a Christmas tree, Castles!" Rick cried in excitement, a cheer erupting from the small troop, who continued to gaze up at the magnificent tree in wonder. They almost couldn't contain the excitement of the thought of decorating it tonight with their parents and grandparents, a standard tradition in the Castle house.

They chattered excitedly as Rick fixed up the payment and delivery, in their opinion, boring stuff.

"I wonder who's gonna put the angel on top this year?" Lucas murmured excitedly.

"I'll bet it'll be Mom," Alexis replied.

"Nah, it's Jessie's year!" David reasoned.

"Jessie's too little," Alexis said, "Or it might be Elise, cos she was too little last year."

"Me do?" Elise questioned, the conversation of her older sister and brothers not quite comprehensible to her, but she dismissed her confusion fairly quickly, wandering away from them to go and find her mother.

"I think it'll be Elise," Alexis said, "or Mommy, cos Daddy did it last year."

"Ah huh, and then he fell off the chair!" David chortled along with Lucas and Alexis, all three of them stopping when they met the curious gazes of their parents.

"What are you lot giggling at, huh?" Rick asked, reaching down with a playful growl to scoop Lucas up into his arms, swinging him up and onto his shoulders, the little boy beaming in delight.

"Nothing Daddy!" Alexis replied cheerfully, skipping off a little further down the path to join her mother, who had already begun to walk back to the car, head shaking as she chuckled.

** X**

Despite the powdering of snow, the day was still a truly wonderful day, and Rick felt it would be a shame to waste the afternoon they still had ahead of them. He badgered the kids and Kate, who were beginning to feel hungry, to go for a walk in the park before lunch. Despite their moaning and groaning, he managed to convince the kids that a walk in Central Park for Daddy would get them a great dessert after lunch.

This seemed to suffice them, and they were soon walking down one of the many paths through Central Park. There were many other families around, lots with strollers and young children like the Castles. The ones walking in the opposite direction were bearing balloons, gift bags and handfuls of festive food and goodies amongst the excitable and happy yammering between them.

Before Rick could think of what was possibly ahead and around the corner, Alexis and David, who were up ahead, stopped and gasped loudly. They came racing back to their parents and younger siblings, excited and jumpy.

"Mommy, Daddy, there's a funfair!" Alexis exclaimed, running back to where she had stopped to look again.

"Yeah, and Santa Claus is out the front, and there's big rides and lights and lots of people!" David affirmed, the whole Castle clan now joining a stopped Alexis, who was looking eagerly between her oldest brother and her parents.

As they saw it, Lucas gasped too, and Kate saw Elise straighten up and lean forward from her place in the stroller. Jessica had since fallen asleep in her own part of the stroller, and was sleeping comfortably.

"Can we go?" Alexis asked, jittering on the spot, "Please, please, please?"

David and Lucas soon joined the begging as well, which went on only for a few more seconds, before Kate agreed they could stop and have a look.

But a look, Kate realized, was going to take quite a while. She was shocked to see the funfair, dubbed 'Winter Wonderland' by the neon sign hanging above the entrance, was quite a lot larger than it seemed.

The open air Christmas markets and children's rides and food stalls lined the grass of the park on either side of the normal sidewalk. There were families bustling everywhere with small children, balloons and large stuffed animals. Some of the people here weren't families at all; some were younger couples, older families, but all seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Kids, take mine or Daddy's hand or hold on to the stroller, please," Kate instructed, Alexis' hand finding hers, and David's settling in his father's. Lucas was still atop Rick's shoulders, and the lucky boy had the best view of _Winter Wonderland_.

Kate felt it was going to be difficult to navigate the fair, but at the same time, she had an odd sort of merriment about her. It was most likely the combination of the hearty laughter, the Christmas music playing through the speakers and the fact she could see David excitedly dragging his father to a traditional wooden toy stall. She followed soon after, letting Alexis move to join her brothers to take a look. Lucas was now on his feet again, gazing at the masterpieces that were hand crafted wooden toys. They didn't seem to hold Alexis' attention much, as she veered slightly sideways to look at a stall filled with winter clothes and accessories, like beanies, scarves and earmuffs.

Kate stood close by, keeping an eye mostly on Alexis, but also glancing to Rick every once in a while to make sure he hadn't moved off without them. Still, Alexis was finished gazing at animal earmuffs long before the boys were finished at their stall, Kate having to give them all a tap on the shoulder to get them moving, since they weren't intending on buying anything.

They continued on, finding many of the stalls sold similar or typical things. There were many more of the stalls with earmuffs, and Alexis eventually walked away from one with a fluffy white pair on her head. Rick's favorite stall so far had been the wooden toys, but Kate had found he was particularly mesmerized by the handmade Christmas ornaments a little further along. He consented to letting each child pick one each of the delicate baubles and decorations to go on the tree.

It was a long process, and Kate felt almost exhausted by the end of it. The kids too were looking a little tiresome, but the excitement around was enough to keep them going. Kate knew it wasn't that they were tired, but it had been a long while since they had eaten.

"Rick, I think we should stop and get something to eat," Kate murmured in his ear, her eyes not leaving Alexis, David and Lucas who walked just in front of the stroller where Elise and Jessica were, "they're waning."

"Food is a good idea," Rick agreed, taking the few strides it took him to catch up with the older kids before he began to steer them to the left where the path split. Looking straight ahead, the other direction from where they were headed, Kate could only see more candy stalls and fair rides. Sure enough, there would be a lengthy trip down there later.

But, before then, she followed her family to find that Rick following his nose was sometimes the best thing. They arrived at a small pavilion, which Rick almost had to duck into, with seating, food stalls and a carousel. The kids gasped in excitement, each of them begging their father to go on the rid, Kate standing cautiously behind with the babies.

Rick allowed each of them on, figuring it was best to go on before they ate rather than after, and, once he could, got each of them astride a horse just in time. Kate had sent Elise running over, for the little girl was getting rather fussy about being stuck in a stroller while her brothers and sister rode the carousel. It was quite amusing to her, to see Rick standing, spinning with the carousel, between each of the kids, who were laughing loudly amongst themselves.

Once the ride finished, Kate was soon overcome with a recount of the experience, each of them wishing they could go again. Still, the minute Kate mentioned food, they were soon overcome with hunger.

"Oh, honestly, anyone would think we were starving you!" Kate muttered, laughing as David groaned at having to wait a second longer.

"But Mommy, we're _hungry!"_ he exclaimed in a moan, following his mother to a nearby booth, to which he eagerly clambered into, followed by Lucas and Alexis. Kate sat opposite holding Jessica, Elise wedged beside her, with space enough at the end for Rick.

"Look, here comes Daddy!" Lucas exclaimed.

And sure enough, Rick was wading through the crowd, a tray in front of him laden with six hot dogs with fries. Kate smirked at the fact hot dogs were still the American food of choice at a Christmas fair. Still, the kids weren't fussy at all, and with the promise of gingerbread cookies and ice cream later, they were quite happily content.

"Mommy," Alexis began, her mouth full of hot dog as she spoke, which earned her a stern look from her mother, who was bouncing Jessica gently on her knee and watching Elise nibble at her fries.

Swallowing as quick as she could, Alexis was soon speaking again, this time with an empty mouth, "Mommy, can we go on some of the big rides out there?"

Pointing outside, Kate had a quick glance, and saw that some of the rides she had seen earlier were in view. Despite her wanting to say yes, Kate thought that with the kids being so young, they mightn't be able to go on. They were still only small, after all.

"We'll see, okay?" Kate said, a smile spreading across Alexis' face, "We have to make sure you're allowed first."

"Why wouldn't we be allowed?" David asked, "If you say so?"

"Because you might not be big enough, buddy," Rick answered, sighing at the crestfallen look in the little boy's eyes.

"It's okay, kiddo, we'll find a ride for you to go on," Kate said with a smile, watching David shrug as he continued eating his hot dog.

"And then," Rick began, making sure he had the attention of every one of the kids before he continued, "we can go home and decorate the tree!"

**Well, there is another chapter in a Castle Christmas. Next up will probably be Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, depending on how soon I'll be able to write.  
>Anyway, the Winter Wonderland thing here isn't actually in Central Park, nor do I know if there is anything of the sort there, but I was in London recently, and in Hyde Park they have an attraction called Winter Wonderland that is like what I wrote about here. I liked it, so I put it in, and I saw a lot of young families and stuff, and it was a really lovely thing.<strong>

**But, enough of my yammer, Merry Christmas, one and all!**

**Kayla x**


	27. Chapter 27

**Right, well…it's Christmas. I fell so out of tune with all my FFs that, especially with this one, I wanted to wait a little to write so I could aptly do it justice. And, since it's the right time of year again, we'll pick up right where we left off I think. Sorry for the year-long wait. Really.**

**X**

Kate sighed as she stared into the refrigerator. It was bittersweet, really. The emptiness of it caused her both relief and dread all at the same time. Relief, because it meant that there would now be plenty of room for all the Christmas food she was yet to make, dread because she had to actually purchase and make the food that would soon fill it up.

"When did you want to go to the store?"

Her husband's voice did not startle her, instead jostled her into finally closing the refrigerator and turning away. It was cold enough without the added help.

Sighing, she contemplated her response momentarily, looking up to Rick, who was returning an expectant gaze, a candy cane crunching between his teeth.

"Soon, I think," she finally replied, "otherwise I won't have time to finish everything."

"Aren't you glad I already bought the turkey?" Rick added with a wink, chuckling as he made his move toward Kate, her eyes rolling as he approached.

"Yeah, good job Rick, gold star for you," she replied, half mocking, half irritated. Sure, the turkey was one thing, but what about everything else? Not to mention she was _so_ behind on her Christmas shopping – it was ridiculous.

Rick sensed her growing frustration, and sidled past her now intent gaze, as she stared at the space in front of her aimlessly, mentally writing herself a list that was hundreds long of tasks she had to complete before tomorrow. Because, of course, tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and everyone who was even remotely aware of the Castle family, knew that Christmas Eve was no small thing in this house. In true Richard Castle style, it was set to be another big event this year, and seemingly not much different from the last.

_At least I don't have a leg brace this year_, Kate thought absent-mindedly to herself, finally shaking her head and starting to make her way out of the kitchen. Better to start now than later, it was only going to get worse as the holiday season grew insanely close to the big day.

It was only early, really, mid-morning to be exact. She would have oodles of time to get herself organized for tomorrow, and the day after. Shooting a sideways glance at the tree, she frowned at the dismal amount of gifts under it, knowing this year had been a particularly poor effort on her part. Most of the gifts under it were from the kids to each other, or the kids to Rick and Kate. School was done for the holidays, and as was the seemingly endless amounts of school art and craft that had accompanied them home for days. The decorating of the tree had also been left very late this year, with the large pine standing bare in the living room for almost two weeks after it had been placed there. Rick was obviously horrified at the delay, but the kids didn't seem to mind, as long as they got to place as many baubles as humanly possible on the tree themselves. Their stockings too, were hung along the window sill, as they had been every year, with another new addition to the end of the line. Jessie's first Christmas was a cause for excitement throughout the whole house, while the young 5 month old was more fascinated with the flashing lights than Santa Claus or presents.

Without realizing it, she had made her way to Rick's office, wandering past his desk – laptop still whirring – and into the bedroom, where the Christmas spirit had not neglected. If you asked Kate, their room was probably decked with the most boughs of holly, along with tinsel, wreaths, another, smaller Christmas tree, fairy lights and of course, Rick's favorite Christmas pajamas lay draped over the arm chair in the corner. All the kids had also donned their Christmas pajamas since the calendar jumped over to December, and Rick had made sure they each had an advent calendar in their possession, just to make the countdown to Christmas even more exciting.

Luckily, Rick's penchant for the holidays meant that everything was organized down to the kids' socks for Santa's visit, so Kate really didn't have a whole lot to think about, just to cook. This thought caught her groaning as she rustled through her drawers to find a sweater, knowing it would be better the earlier she got out. The Christmas madness had all but taken over the stores, and she was not at all prepared to face it.

"I just called Mother," Rick interrupted, sauntering in to find some warmer layers himself, "She'll be here in 15 minutes."

Kate snorted, "Her 15 minutes or a normal person's 15 minutes?"

"Good point," Rick agreed with a chuckle, pulling a sweater over his head, adjusting the shirt collar a he did so.

They got ready in near silence, offering only minute apologies as they crossed paths moving about the room. Kate took only moments in the bathroom, wanting to get out and be done with the festive chaos in the city more than she wanted to look good doing it. It took her only five minutes to organize herself, with Rick following fairly closely behind. On her way out, Kate paused at the edge of the large, white crib that had been permanently in it's position for many years now. Every time it had just about deemed itself no longer necessary, there would be a new, charming face in the house that continued it's use. This time, it held the quiet, sleeping and youngest Castle, Jessie, who had her father's gift of being able to sleep no matter what was going on in the world. She had woken quite early this morning, and had hence gone down earlier for her morning nap. And boy, did that girl like to sleep! Though, she had seemed to inherit her mother's nocturnal sleeping patterns, staying awake hours into the night, almost as late as Kate and Rick themselves. Still, she was a sound sleeper, and heavenly behaved, much to the delight of her parents. They had been lucky to have such a well-kept brood.

Murmurs and mutters from the front room signaled the arrival of the kids from upstairs, or at least two of them. It sounded like David and Alexis; the conversation moved quickly and quietly, so much so it would seem unlikely to be Elise or Lucas. She could hear them arguing – _discussing_ Alexis called it – as per usual. As David got closer to his fifth birthday and to beginning school, he seemed to be engaging more with mature conversation. He loved to chat endlessly with his parents, his grandparents, or any adult who would converse with him, really. He also enjoyed watching the news, and was always asking Rick questions about what was happening in the world. Kate thought it rather funny if she were being honest; not even five years old and already concerned with the grown up world. It did leave her with a small pang that she could not describe, watching Jessie's little eyelids flutter slowly as she fidgeted herself slowly awake. All her babies were growing up. It seemed so fast, so surreal, that her second little munchkin was going to be starting school in the Fall.

Scooping a weary-eyed Jessie up out of the crib, Rick brushed past her on his way out, leaving a soft kiss on her cheek as he did so, before his voice joined the intent others in the next room. Jessie's head rested softly on Kate's shoulder, her eyes blinking long and hard as she continued to wake up. It took only a minute or two before the young girl was wide eyed and upright in her mother's arms, and her eyes were darting curiously around the room, meeting often with Kate's.

A chorus of voices suddenly broke through the almost silence of the room, and Kate knew it could only be one thing – the usually grand arrival of one, Martha Rodgers.

**X**

**Sorry this is short, but it's late here. I will do the other half tomorrow morning, and then Christmas Eve tomorrow afternoon – so they will probably be short-ish chapters. **

**Anyways, see y'all tomorrow, Happy Christmas Eve Eve!**

**Kayla x**


	28. Chapter 28

**Okay, here is the second half of Christmas Eve Eve, and also the first half of Christmas Eve (:**

**X**

Kate groaned as she pushed the shopping cart defiantly through the aisles of the grocery store. She had been right; it was absolute chaos everywhere in the city. There was no point to even taking the car anywhere, because the chances of you actually being able to leave the parking garage within the hour were incredibly slim. She had sent Rick off to the market to get the vegetables, while she navigated her way through the sea of festive shoppers to get all the little tidbits she would need. Thank goodness Christmas Day wasn't at the Castle loft as well as Christmas Eve – the thought was enough to make Kate a little light-headed. It was Lizzie's turn this year, and it would also be the first Christmas for her littlest princess, Savannah.

"_Excuse _me!"

The cranky voice turned Kate's head abruptly. It was a shorter, middle-aged woman, not much older than Kate herself (_Oh boy, that's scary_, she thought momentarily), and was glaring fiercely. Kate had paused, one hand reaching to the highest shelf, a hand wrapped around a box of stuffing mixture, another in her hand that was almost to the rim of her cart. What could possibly have triggered this woman's temper? Kate had only just reached the shelf herself…

"Not _everyone_ has hours to wait you know!" the lady responded crankily, all but shoving Kate out of the way as she launched herself toward the shelf, yanking off three boxes of the mixture for herself. She gave one final glare to Kate as she threw the items in her cart, before turning in a huff and stomping off.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Kate muttered, mildly annoyed now, tossing the stuffing on top of the mounting pile in her own cart before she took off in the other direction.

Things didn't get much better the further she delved into the store, with lines forming just to get milk and eggs. Groaning for the millionth time that day, she stationed herself in the line, which was moving painstakingly slowly, yet surprisingly quickly for the amount of people that seemed to be in it. Kate craned her neck, and saw that there was some sort of handing out system going on, a store worker passing out milk cartons with lightning speed. Considering how much milk she needed, she was glad he was quick.

_I wonder if he's giving out eggs too?_ Kate questioned, looking around again, only to find that there was a separate, longer line for that. She was just about to the front of the line, when a voice amongst the encroaching crowd caught her attention, a familiar face grinning frantically at her through the sea of people.

Rick approached her as quickly as the swarms of bodies would allow, reaching her almost simultaneously with her meeting the store worker, who handed her the abnormally large amount of milk with no question or reaction.

Without speaking herself, as soon as Richard was by her side, she pointed toward the eggs, where the line was momentarily empty. She was still re-packing the milk in the cart, after the worker had virtually thrown them at her in an attempt to keep the line moving.

Rick was back just as she had straightened up the cartons, huffing in annoyance as she shoved the trolley forward, really not caring if there happened to be anymore disgruntled shoppers in front of her.

"Do you have everything?" Rick asked, surveying the incredibly full cart that Kate was straightening up, "It looks like we do."

"Yeah, we do," Kate replied curtly. She couldn't wait to escape the madness that was pre-Christmas grocery shopping.

"Right, let's hit the road! Or the sidewalk…"

Kate groaned quietly to herself, rather annoyed at how spirited Rick was even in this situation. While she was utterly frustrated, he seemed calm, almost enjoying himself in the not quite merriment of the season. You still had the cranky cart pushers of course.

**X**

"Mommy, do you need any help?" chimed in the little redhead, who looked up from her book after a loud bang had sounded from the kitchen.

Kate was attempting to organize her kitchen. Yesterday afternoon had gone pretty much out the window, with Martha eventually taking the children down the street for hot cocoa so Kate and Rick could finally get a handle on the remaining presents left to wrap. As per usual, they got through with the skin of their teeth, the very last present being hastily wrapped and hidden under the tree as the kids stumbled back through the door. Martha then of course, invited herself to stay for dinner, not that Kate ever minded her mother-in-law's presence, she just had a lot to do…

This morning, Rick had taken the kids out to shop for Mommy's present, and the short hour they were gone gave Kate a fairly good head start in the kitchen, but not nearly enough to warrant the gargantuan task that lay ahead of her.

"Uh…" she pondered, searching the littered bench tops and full shelves for anything Alexis might be able to assist with. There wasn't much that a six year old could do, really. The baking had been done two days ago, the turkey was in the oven, the various salads were yet to be made, the stuffing was done, the candy trays for the kids…

"Yes, sweetheart, do you want to grab your brothers?" Kate said, pre-emptively pulling the Christmas trays from underneath the monumental stack of goodies for the kids, "I have a job for you."

Eagerly, Alexis shoved the bookmark into her novel, placing it gently on the table before bolting upstairs, shouting after Lucas and David with full gusto. Rick was upstairs with them, she assumed, and had taken on Mr. Mommy duties for the day so Kate could organize for the party tonight. Gazing mindlessly at the clock, she sighed, noting that she had four hours until guests would begin to arrive. That was plenty of time, in Kate's mind, for the cooking to be done, but she pushed on to maintain her same speed, taking into account the time it would take to get herself and the kids ready for tonight.

"We're here!" David cried, ambling onto the bar stools alongside his equally exuberant siblings, who were all looking wide-eyed at the large amounts of food that covered the kitchen island.

"Good, you guys are going to save the day!" Kate exclaimed, passing one of the huge plates to each of her eldest children, directing them over to the kitchen table as she followed with bags and tins and trays of food, as well as a couple of extra plates shoved under her arm. Just in case.

The children were whispering eagerly amongst themselves as they watched their mother lay out each selection of treats so they could see. They were gasping and ooh-ing and ah-ing in amazement as the baked goodies were revealed.

"Alexis, you're going to lay out all the cookies on the tray you have and this one," she began, placing a second tray in front of the young girl, whose eyes widened immensely at the task, her excitement bubbling.

"David, you're in charge of the potato chips," Kate said, placing copious packets of them in front of him, as well as snatching a few large bowls from the island, "use the bowls first, okay?"

He gave a strong nod, beginning immediately to separate the bowls and place them neatly in front of him, being mindful of his big sister, who had already started her task, tongue poking out in concentration.

"Alright, then Mr Lucas," Kate added, turning to her youngest son, "that means you are the candy boss."

"Yes!" Lucas exclaimed, giggling excitedly to himself as he reached for the bags placed in front of him, standing up in his seat so he had a hope of reaching without knocking anything over.

"Now, kiddies," Kate started, all eyes now on her, "don't eat anything. It's for tonight, got it?"

A chorus of 'yes mommy' rang out as they set eagerly, but carefully to work. They knew how much Rick liked everything to be just so, and Kate had learned to go along with it after a while. She then set herself the task of putting together all the salads and sides for the big feast, a job that would be more annoying than time consuming. She tried not to think too much about it, turning immediately to the fridge and the shelves around it, grabbing ingredients quickly and quietly, humming _Jingle Bell Rock_ gently to herself as she went.

**X**

Christmas Eve in the Castle home was never dull, and this year had not been an exception. The kids had had a fantastic time catching up with their cousins and friends, and the food had certainly gone down well, something that was immensely pleasing to Kate. There were endless comments on the standard of the decorations, which Rick took great pride in, having sourced new ones for this year, while no child could complain at the humungous amount of presents that had been under the tree that were now unwrapped and taken home with them.

Jessie and Elise had fallen asleep while the party was still in full swing, but Kate knew her two sleepy babies had been up almost the whole day working hard to help get ready for the party. Well, Jessie was more excited by the wrapping paper and the Christmas tree, but it had been a big day for the little girl, regardless. Lucas had made it to the end of the party, and drowsily put his new toys away in his bedroom before he asked Daddy if he could go to bed. He was very sure that he was sleepy enough that Santa wouldn't wake him at all. David and Alexis were still wide awake after guests left, and were buzzing around the living room, collecting stray bits of wrapping paper, leftover cups and the now scarce trays that had once held food.

Kate was washing the dishes furiously, while Rick dried and put away everything she passed to him in a flash. This year had seemed much easier for Kate, and there didn't seem to be as much to do, despite there being an almost identical amount of work to do from one year to the next. She attributed this two things; one, she was not stuck in a leg brace, and two, she now had three little helpers who were only eager to be helpful. Well, two once it got past a certain hour at night.

"I think we're done, Mommy," Alexis called out, looking around the living room, and feeling pretty accomplished at how spotless it looked.

"Rick can you go take a look?" Kate murmured to him, as she scrubbed the very last of the dishes with an intense air of relief.

Sauntering over, Rick immediately took on a comic, detective persona, 'inspecting' and 'investigating' every nook and cranny of the room, Alexis and David giggling in the middle.

"How about it, Detective Castle?" Alexis teased, chuckling with David as they followed their father around the room, "Do we pass?"

Kate smirked at the 'Detective Castle' part. Rick would have liked that.

"Well, cadets," Rick started, standing tall, hands behind his back, looking the opposite of official in his Christmas shirt and santa hat, "you have passed this mission. Congratulations, Santa will be proud!"

Giggling again, Alexis and David moved quickly up to Rick, as he fell back into himself again, just in time for a double hug from the kids.

"Good night, Daddy," David murmured, finishing his hug and plodding off to Kate, who was drying her hands now the dishes were finished. Alexis followed closely behind, leaving a kiss on her father's cheek before she wandered over to her mother.

Kate had scooped David up in a big bear hug, spinning him gently around the small space in the kitchen, placing the giggling four year old on his feet moments later. Alexis joined almost instantly, a quick squeeze from Kate and they were all separate and standing tall again.

"Good night, kids," Kate said quietly, kissing them both on the forehead and walking with them to the stairs.

"Good night, Mommy!" they replied in almost perfect unison, waving back over at Rick one last time before they bounded up the stairs.

Kate knew they weren't tired, but the prospect of a particular jolly visitor tonight was enough to get them to bed without much argument. She was glad that it was almost Christmas Day, in fact, it would be in an hour. Replacing the last of the dishes in their rightful spots, she took one last survey of the kitchen, and, satisfied, turned and headed through the now empty living room. As she passed through her husband's office, she could hear him rummaging in the bedroom, pulling out the remaining presents and stockings that were to go out under the tree.

"This year went much better than last year," Kate commented, pulling her own sack of goodies out of the closet and heading for the door, "at least in my opinion."

"It was easier this year," Rick agreed, "but the party was equally fantastic."

Kate smiled softly as Rick joined her at the door, their intention to walk through it, but they instead paused for a quick, momentary kiss. It seemed like an age since they had last kissed, but the business of the holidays was sure to be the blame. Still, it was an extremely pleasant moment that brought Kate back to the reality that tomorrow, all she had to do was show up. It was Lizzie's turn this year, and Kate knew her younger sister was just jumping at the chance to have a beautiful family Christmas. This did relieve a lot off Kate's shoulders, and as she wandered through to the living room after Rick, she couldn't keep the grin off her face. This year was going to be different, better, Kate knew it. And, as she continued unpacking the last few of the presents, a shared glint in both Kate and Rick's eyes, she knew the kids were probably going to think so too.

**X**

**Right, well, I skipped the party this year just because we had it last year, and it shapes up pretty much the same. **

**I will hopefully be doing Christmas morning, though it will probably be fairly short, because it's already Christmas morning here! **

**Merry Christmas Everyone!**

**Kayla x**


End file.
